A Mother's Love; A Daughter's Pain (Closed RP)

[Agasha Shodai]

This is a CLOSED RP, a part of the Threads of Destiny story arc.

It takes place following Kaneka's declaration of his intent to claim the Imperial Throne and before the Great Clans decided whom to support.

If you wish to join in, please IM me which portion you wish to join us for and why. If we can work you in, we will.

[Agasha Shodai]

OOC: Remember that for non-Phoenix, vassal families identify themselves using the name of the major family their fealty is sworn to. It's a social faux pass for a non-Phoenix to use the name of the vassal families as it suggests that vassal is more important than their master.

For those with the gift of Ishiken, the spontaneous appearance of a self-opening, free-standing door that opened onto a path that only existed through the door would be considered unusual, but possible within the infinite complexity of the Void. For those whose senses could only comprehend the four fundamental elements and not the fifth element that gave life to the other four, there was nothing to see...

That is, until Void Master Agasha Shodai and Kakita Mitsouko, the Kakita Family Daimyo, stepped off the Voidwalk Path at their intended destination of Firebird Falls... For those who only knew the common world, it would as if they had appeared from nowhere.

They'd been walking as a steady stroll for the better part of two hours and a light sheen of sweat was visible on their skin. It was rather hard to believe they had literally - if not truly - walked all the way from Kyuden Miya in less than a day. The path hadn't shown them anything that was very distracting; mostly because the duo had a lot on their minds and were in a hurry to speak with Isawa Tisuke, Mitsouko's mother.

They were spotted first by a young water shugenja, barely past her gempukku, who was hard at work practicing a mind/body focus kata on one of the large but loose stones surrounding the large lake at the base of Firebird Falls only a few feet from their invisible door.

The eyes of the samurai-ko, whose attention was drawn by the sudden awareness of people that hadn't been there one second and now were, went wide with surprise. "Su~goi..."[/b] She breathed in awe as she set her foot down in the wrong spot of the rock. The rock fell into the pool and the young woman's arms windmilled as she tried to find her suddenly lost balance. "Wh~oa! Oh no~oo!"[/b]

Her efforts to catch herself destabilized the rock she was on and was dumped into the pool with a resounding *SPLASH*!

"Oops... Probably should have targeted the school's entrance rather than the training area."[/b] Shodai said to Mitsouko with an embarrassed smile as the Phoenix girl splashed in an effort to climb out of the water, but the rocks were too loose to be of any help. "I should probably help her; I'll be just a moment, Mitsouko-sa."[/b]

The Void Master's steady stride quickly ate the distance between their point of egress to the water's edge. Kneeling down, he extended his hand to the young woman. "Need a hand up..."[/b] He glanced at the mons on her aquamarine robes, noting the Asako family mon had a colored edge that identified her as a member of one of the vassal family. "Chukan-san?"[/b]

The young woman from the vassal family normally responsible for caring for the numerous temple libraries in the Phoenix Clan, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment as she realized someone had seen her fall. "H-hai, Agasha-sama."[/b] She said, easily spotting his family's yellow, green and red mon against his black robes. Using his hand to provide her a point of stable leverage, the samurai-ko climbed out of the water onto the cobblestone pathway. "Arigato, Agasha-sama.[/b] She said after the two of them got to their feet.

"My apologies for spooking you, Chukan-san. I was using a long-distance movement spell and forgot to account for the fact that by the time we got here people would be using the practice courtyard."[/b]

The young woman gave a wan, shy smile. "It's okay, Agasha-sama... I tend to be a bit... clumsy. It was only a matter of time before I fell in the lake."[/b] She paused before remembering protocol and bowing, pausing for a moment as she took a look at Mitsouko and realized she was from another Clan. "Welcome to the Isawa Tensai School of Water, I'm Asako Shizune. How may I help you travelers?"[/b]

"We need to see Isawa Tisuke; can you guide us to her, Chukan-san?"[/b]

The girl hesitated. "Ano... Tisuke-sensei cancelled all her classes for the day a little over two hours ago and has gone into seclusion in her room. I think she's not feeling well; I was attending class with her and she suddenly went pale. I don't think she's up to seeing visitors."[/b]

Agasha Shodai frowned slightly to himself... A "little over two hours ago," he and Mitsouko had been in Kyuden Miya, opening the scroll that his previous incarnation had left before he'd committed seppuku. That Tisuke, the reincarnation of the woman who had betrayed Shodai and Mitsouko's prior incarnations in a way that resulted in all three of them dying, would get sick at the exact same moment was too much of a coincidence for the Void Master's taste.

'I was so anxious to see what was in the scroll that I didn't think to check it for any traces of magic...' He thought to himself. 'Tisuke must have known about Shokujin's scroll and wove an alarm spell into the wax seal to go off if it was ever opened.'

A kind smile for the young samurai-ko crossed Shodai's lips. "Oh, I'm pretty sure she'll see us, Chukan-san..."[/b] He gestured over to Mitsouko. "This is the new Kakita Family Daimyo..."[/b] The young woman's eyes widened at the naming of such a high-ranking person; vassal family members rarely ever get to meek their main Family Daimyo, to say nothing of a Family Daimyo from another Clan. "And Isawa Tisuke is her mother."[/b] The girl's jaw fell open this time.

Shodai chose not to identify himself. Given her reactions, telling her she'd been helped out of the water by the Void Master would likely lead to a panic-induced fainting spell... Better she should think that he was just an escort for a high-ranking foreign woman.

"Oh, I see!"[/b] Shizune said as she got a grip on her reactions. "Right this way..."[/b]

She took one step towards the kenshinzen when a wet squishing sound came from her robes. The young woman paused with a frown and said a quick prayer to the water kami. Suddenly, a pool of water formed at Shizune's feet as all the water in her clothes was wrung out. The pool then moved in a vaguely snake-like fashion back to the lake. She took another step, but the squishing sound did not return.

Chukan Shizune nodded as she looked back to Mitsouko. "Gomen; as I was saying your mother is right this way, Daimyo-sama. If you'll follow me."[/b]

[Kakita Mitsouko]

Of course, Asako-san. Mitsouko followed the woman, not as calm as she should appear to strangers. Knowing her mother was aware of many things about their past lives, and was able to manage her life (well, maybe not totally, Mitsouko considered) to this extent… She wasn’t even sure of what really to ask, how to question her own mother about her acts. There, she wasn’t a daimyo, but Tisuke’s daughter.
But, worst than it, she was afraid of this confront. If Shokujin was able to domain Shodai again, what he could do with the Void Master’s power, to harm his enemy?
In front of the sliding door, she glanced at the man at her side, feeling somewhat weak and childish. This travel was proven to be her final test; Mitsouko was confronting herself and discovering that when she thought she was ready, she wasn’t. She even didn’t know herself for real.
But the time of it has come.
When the woman was announcing their arrival, she said to the Void master:
Shodai-sama, are you sure you... wish to have this conversation with my mother? She knew he was able to understand her concerns about it.

[Agasha Shodai]

Shodai nodded, surreptuously giving Mitsouko's hand a comforting squeeze while Chukan Shizune led them around the Water School's grounds. The Void Master hadn't been back to the Water Tensai school in nearly a decade: there was little point since thanks to his studies from the Isawa and Agasha shugenja schools, Water magic came with some difficulty. He was more effective than most shugenja with a major deficiency only because he "cheated" by fusing Water with Void.

"Actually, I've been wanting to talk with her since that night at the Tea Ceremony you held in Kosaten Shiro when you first told me about that spell she used on you as a child."[/b] Agasha Shodai said with a soft, determined tone in his voice. "Doubly so with what we just learned in Kyuden Miya... I can grasp why she did things the way she did, but I need to find out to what ends she was manipulating us."[/b]

The younger water adept finally stopped in front of a sliding door. After kneeling in the seiza posture, Shizune-san rapped on the wooden door. "Pardon the intrusion, Tisuke-sensei, but your daughter and her Agasha escort have just arrived and they wish to speak to you."[/b]

"Yes, I know, Shizune-chan." Isawa Tisuke said faintly through the door with a soft sigh; her tone suggesting that she was facing this impending meeting with the same trepidation that Mitsouko was clearly feeling. "Let them in and then make yourself scarce, child."

"H-Hai, Sensei."[/b] The youngest woman of the three there said as she moved aside and opened the door. "Sensei will see you now, Daimyo-sama, Agasha-sama."[/b] Shizune said as she rose and headed back to the training area.

Agasha Shodai silently reached through the Void, probing Tisuke's room for any signs of a potential ambush... He wasn't sure how much of Otomo Kaoruko's past Mitsouko's mother knew and, at the moment, the reincarnated Miya Shokujin was uncertain if she was friend or foe.

"Come now, Shodai-sama,"[/b] The Water Tensai's voice came chidingly as she sensed his energy reach into the room ahead of his physical presence. "In addition to the time I spent in Toshigoku after the LAST time I let you in my bedroom, I've had a long and, for the most part, happy life to come to terms with what happened back then. I am neither strong enough or fast enough to pose a threat to one such as you; even were I so inclined to be... Come in, both of you; we have much to discuss."[/b]

The Void Master frowned to himself as Tisuke confirmed that she had indeed been aware of the history shared between the three of them. "I trust you'll understand my hesitancy, Tisuke-san; you've had time to cope with whatever knowledge and memories survived reincarnation, something neither your daughter or I have had the benefit of."[/b]

Shodai and Mitsouko entered the dim quarters, needing only a few steps before rounding a corner that reveal a small living area. As they did so, both samurai froze at what they saw...

Isawa Tisuke sat in the seiza position, clad in a pure white robe - the robe of one prepared to face death - with a Empress-style Hina Ningyo doll sitting on a small table in front of her. Shodai realized he had seen her with the morning after he'd used his skills of divination to discover that Mitsouko had been poisoned. Unlike the normal design for a Hina doll, the carved wooden head and porcelin hands had been painted with a flesh tone lacquer as opposed to the normal powder white and the eyes were green-gold instead of black.

The Void Master glanced over at Mitsouko, then back at the doll. If the kenshinzen's hair were its natural color - as opposed to being dyed white in the common Crane style - the hina ningyo would be a perfect effigy of his companion. It would not surprise Agasha Shodai if it turned out that Isawa Tisuke had used some of Kakita Mitsouko's own hair for the doll...

In fact, having a biological link between Mitsouko and the doll would have been the only way that the Water Tensai's magic to seal Seppun Saimei could have possibly worked.

Isawa Tisuke looked up to her daughter, a thin and distracted smile on her face. "I believe a number of congradulations are in order, my daughter. Kenshinzen, Kakita Family Daimyo, and finally facing your fear of magic, allowing you to come to me far faster than I could have anticipated... Shinoburo would be so proud of you for those accomplishments; I hope you know that, Mitsouko."[/b]

Mitsouko's mother gestured to the two cushions on the side of the table opposite her. "Why don't the two of you have a seat... I have a feeling you have many, many questions for me. And though it may pain or shame me to answer them, it is time to tell you the truth..."[/b] She arched an eyebrow. "Or perhaps I should say, the complete truth. About the two of you, me, our past lives, Shinoburo, and anything else you two might wish to know."[/b]

[Kakita Mitsouko]

Mitsouko’s eyes grew wider, before the scenery she found in the room. Her mother, dressed in the white only the ones preparing themselves to die use, and that strange doll at her side. The Kakita woman swallowed back her sickness and nausea, her lips pursed refraining some of her emotion.

The calmness of her mother’s attitudes was a thing rarely Mitsouko had seen, and it was somewhat preoccupying. And the things are getting far worse of what she expected. Or at least, she never expected to see Isawa Tisuke, the proud Tensai that rejected her Kakita husband’s name and returned to her own home in spite of scandal, doing so.

After a breath holding back the surprise, she replied Tisuke’s cumpliments, a bitter taste when she measured the truth in her words. She had nothing to hide from the pair:

Thank you, mother. But I doubt it has something to do with my personal talents, and more with who my father was, how much money I have. But I am glad to join the Kenshinzen, finally. I know my father would be proud, even if I know you aren’t, in your heart. But facing my fears... maybe you can explain part of their causes for me.

[Agasha Shodai]

OOC: This is a long one, sorry.

A sad smile crossed Isawa Tisuke's face as her daughter threw part of her congradulations back in her face. She sighed the sigh of one who was in the midst of regretting past decisions. "I deserved that... After all, I have deliberately kept you at arm's length for most of your life, but - despite who I was and what I did in my last life - with a many of your successes I have felt a mother's pride in you in the part of my heart that is mine and mine alone. The part that is free of Otomo Kaoruko's undying hatred of you..."[/b] She glanced at Shodai. "...Of BOTH of you."[/b]

Agasha Shodai shrugged slightly. "The feeling is mutual in that regard. It took me a few hours, but I came to the realization that as irritated I am that you led me around by the nose and the hatred the fragment of Miya Shokujin within me feels towards Kaoruko, you should only be held accountable for the actions you have made in this life; not for what Kaoruko did."[/b]

Isawa Tisuke paused for a moment, trying to remain stoic, but tears of gratitude welled up in her eyes despite her. She bowed deeply. "It is very kind of you to say that, young Master. And I do regret that I had to put you both on such a circuitous route to the truth, but I have kept my eye on both of you for most of your lives - my daughter since her birth and you since I was able to trace the dreams of the past that became Mitsouko's childhood nightmares back to you - and, as a result, I knew how both of you would react if I had simply come out and told you..."[/b]

She pointed at him. "You, Shodai-sama, in your youth here at Firebird Falls, would have considered the thought of marriage to be an inconvenience and, after you had grown up into the man you are now, would have considered it to be no more than the will of Tengoku: you would have done your duty, but you wouldn't have put your heart into it for a long time... And as one who had a loveless marriage born of duty, Mitsouko deserved better than that."[/b]

The Void Master remained silent after Tisuke's declaration; it cut him to hear such a painful truth from the mouth of another, but he knew himself enough to know that was how it would have been.

Tisuke's eyes returned to her daughter. "And you, my daughter, inherited your father's headstrong determination and my arrogant pride. If I had told you - or Shinoburo - of what destiny had in store for you, not only would neither of you have believed it, but you would have both actively fought it."[/b] She frowned and sighed. "Especially your father; he tried to hide it, but he seemed somehow... indignant - I guess is the best way to phrase it - when it came to anyone who attempted to talk with him about the Kami, the Fortunes, or other matters of theology. Shinoburo rejected the concept of of prophecy and destiny with a passion that was almost holy..."[/b]

Her lips tightened momentarily in irritation at the memory of her late ex-husband. "For one who grew up in the Phoenix Clan, such a closed-minded point of view is an anathema. It was a constant point of strife between us... In fact, there were a number of times that Kakita Shinoburo acted like marrying me was the worst insult his stepfather - the Family Daimyo before the one you replaced, Mitsouko - could have ever inflicted upon him... It was not the reason why we were granted permission to divorce, but it was a mitigating factor in the Clan Champion's decision."[/b]

The Water Tensai sighed, shaking her head. "But I'm getting ahead of myself; that wasn't until much later... As for your fear of magic..."[/b] She glanced at the hina ningyo doll and then to the Void Master. "I suspect you already know what this is, Shodai-dono; given the look in your eye when you noticed it."[/b]

Agasha Shodai nodded. "It's a modified soul jar. You split the fragment of Seppun Saimei from your daughter's soul - or at least the lion's share of it - and contained it within the doll."[/b] His eyes narrowed, the anger he'd felt when Mitsouko had first told him the story rushing back. "It a complex spell that you attempted on your own, messed up, and caused a soul shock that inflicted a pain beyond physical comprehension upon your own daughter!"[/b]

"That's close; very close, indeed, young Master."[/b] Isawa Tisuke took a deep breath, a look of remorse on her features. "Except for the part where I did it on my own... I am powerful, Shodai-dono, but such magic can only be harnessed by an Ishiken; the element of Water, my bailwick, has nothing that would allow a partial soul capture."

"My daughter has forgotten since she was so young at the time, but I tried a number of different spells to try and banish the nightmares that you were unwittingly inflicting on Mitsouko, Shodai-sama."[/b] The Void Master winced at the salvo that hit home. "One night, I used a spell to see my daughter's dreams with my own eyes. I recognized you immediately as Agasha Sakura's little boy - your mother was my Senpai at the Isawa Shugenja school before I became a Tensai of Water."[/b]

Mitsouko's mother shivered slightly at the memory. "Now, one thing you must understand, I was aware that I was the reincarnation of Otomo Kaoruko's soul for all of my life. When I was born, like all Phoenix, a divination was performed on me to help determine what kind of samurai I was destined to be. Tengoku revealed to my parents - through the divination - that in addition to the fact I was to be a shugenja, I had committed a terrible crime against those who had trusted me in my last incarnation. As a result of that treachery, both Benten and Hotei had turned their backs on me. Nagiroko-To, the Fortune of Forgiveness, however, had interceded on my behalf by getting the Fortunes of Romantic Love and Contentment to agree that if I atoned for my crime, by restoring what my previous incarnation's actions had stolen from them, they would lift their curses."

"The divination also revealed that I would learn who they would be reborn as - and what I had stolen - when the time was right. You can imagine my stunned surprise when I discovered that Tengoku had chosen to reincarnate Seppun Saimei, the one whom had suffered the worst from my prior life's betrayal, as my daughter and Miya Shokujin as my Senpai's son..."[/b]

Another sigh escaped the Water shugenja's lips. "Unfortunately, Shodai-dono, your unconscious message to my sleeping daughter was trying to wake Saimei's fragment before Mitsouko was old enough to cope with it. Worse, because I was connected to Mitsouko, a previously sleeping fragment of Kaoruko to awoke within me... The fragment of Kaoruko was outraged to discover that her nemesis was so close but that my love for my child, my precious Mitsouko, was enough to keep her wrath in check and keep her - at least back then - from acting against the reborn and still helpless Saimei. But..."[/b] Tisuke gave Mitsouko a sad smile. "...as time went on, Kaoruko's feelings began to color my own; especially closer in appearance to Seppun Saimei."[/b]

Isawa Tisuke crossed her hands and set them in her lap. "Knowing that we needed magic beyond the ability of myself or the Asahina Family to bring peace to Mitsouko, I was able to convince Shinoburo to allow me to take our daughter back to Phoenix lands to seek a cure. We came to Kyuden Agasha where I called on your mother, Shodai-dono, to discuss what was happening... She called in her father - your grandfather - Isawa Ujina to allow us to consult on the matter. When I told him what I'd witnessed, Ujina-sama held up a hand and asked me to wait a few minutes while he asked you a few questions, Shodai-dono."[/b]

Agasha Shodai blinked as he recalled events in his life around the time he'd seen Isawa Tisuke at Kyuden Agasha. "I... I remember that conversation! Isawa-jiisama called me in from my meditation and asked if I had learned how to use the Void to communicate over long distances - which I had - and if I knew anyone in the Crane Clan that I would have reason to use such magic for - which I didn't. He thanked me and told me to return to my studies..."[/b] Shodai looked to Mitsouko. "That was standard fare for the conversations between my Grandfather and I and didn't seem very significant..."[/b]

"Nor was it meant to, young Master."[/b] Tisuke continued. "Ujina-sama came back and explained that because of your Ishiken studies, you needed to know your own soul before you could hope to manipulate the Void and that training must have awoken a soul fragment that had survived reincarnation. He also said that because you were in control of the soul seals placed in all Ishiken students, there was no way to re-seal Shokujin without it negatively impacting your abilities, Shodai-dono."

"Instead, your grandfather suggested that we place a seal in Mitsouko, one that would hide the fragment of Saimei from Shokujin. With Saimei sealed, there would nothing for your unconscious mind to lock onto, young Master, thereby stopping the nightmares until Mitsouko turned 11, when she would be old enough for us to break the seal and let her learn to cope with the fragment. Because of the nature of what needed to be sealed, your grandfather said I would need to act as a conduit, both because Mitsouko was of my bloodline and such a seal would require a Water magic interface to see to the comfort of the one having the seal added and craft a vessel to contain the sealed fragment."[/b]

Tisuke looked at the hina ningyo. "I agreed to the procedure; it seemed the best solution available. It took me a week to craft the doll as a suitable vessel and then we began the sealing. It was going smoothly until..."[/b] The Tensai's voice cracked with emotion. She took a deep breath, choking back a sob. "Until Kaoruko interfered; at the worst possible moment."[/b]

The Void Master nodded in understanding, remembering how Shokujin had surfaced to talk with Mitsouko the other day. "Because you were focused on the spell, your control as the dominant personality slipped."[/b]

Mitsouko's mother nodded. "Ujina-sama had managed to seperate as much of Saimei from Mitsouko as he was comfortable with. He was nearly finished with pushing the fragment into the hina doll when Kaoruko seized control of my body. At the last possible instant, before your grandfather closed the seal on the doll, Kaoruko negated the pain supression magic that had kept Mitsouko in a deep sleep through the process and then tried to shove as much of Mitsouko's soul into the doll as possible."[/b]

Tears freely fell from Isawa Tisuke's face. "Thankfully, Ujina-sama realized that something was wrong with me and managed to push back most of what Kaoruko had grabbed and completed the seal on the doll so that way he could focus on the struggle over Mitsouko's soul. But, because he was distracted at a critical moment, he forgot to include the keys that would allow anyone to unlock the seal. Ujina-sama then used his command of the Void to terminate the spell that kept my mind distracted and forced Kaoruko back into the depths of my soul..."[/b]

The female shugenja wiped the tears away. "But the damage was already done... Mitsouko had suffered intense agony and, worse of all, her connections to the Void and magic had been the part that Kaoruko was able to force into the doll, ending any hopes that I had possed in my heart of hearts that she might one day walk the shugenja's path, as I had. I did what I could to comfort my daughter and to try to erase her memory of the pain, but Kaoruko had left an indelible stain on Mitsouko's psyche."

"Devastated to discover that Kaoruko could actually take actions against my daughter directly - using my body, no less - I begged Ujina-sama to permanently seal Kaoruko away... I didn't care if it would hurt my abilities to do so; I just wanted her GONE! For good if possible."[/b]

"But he couldn't, could he?"[/b] Shodai said kindly. "Because by that point your soul had reached maturity and could no longer be broken into discrete pieces as a child's could. Because you were grown, a permanent solution would require the blessing of the Fortune Hotei - a blessing you would never be granted until you'd earned his favor once again."[/b]

"True, every word of it, young Master."[/b] Mitsouko's mother agreed, miserably. "But your grandfather devised a spell that would allow me to strengthen my resistance to Kaoruko's influence, but it could only work for so long... A few years at the most, but it was long enough to ensure Mitsouko could safely reach the age where she could begin her training as a samurai. As the spell began to fade, Shinoburo and I went to the Crane Champion to ask that he grant our divorce so that I could seperate myself from my daughter for her own safety."[/b]

Agasha Shodai nodded as he realized the answer to the question he had been waiting to ask. "And because Isawa-jiisama died shortly before my 19th birthday, it was still too early to unlock Saimei's seal. Plus, knowing my grandfather, he would have crafted the seal so that only he or a member of his bloodline, if they possessed his level of power and skill, could unlock it. You waited until I became Void Master to approach me because you had no way of comparing my abilities to that of my grandfather; you had to count on my fellow Ishiken to determine that."[/b]

Tisuke nodded to him. "Yes... When Shinoburo arranged an omiai for Mitsouko to Hida Kimo, despite my protests, and then again when Toku Sanjuro and my daughter grew close, I feared that I would not be doomed to suffering the curses of two Fortunes for the rest of my life. But I had to wait because, unless you could release Saimei from her prison, my burden of kharma could not be resolved."[/b]

She turned to Mitsouko. "I know that I've thrown a lot at you all of a sudden, Mitsouko, but I'm sure you can see how complex things are and can understand why I couldn't share it with you before... Not the least reason being that you wouldn't have been willing to entertain the thought of listening until you learned what you have on your journey with Shodai-dono."[/b]

[Kakita Mitsouko]

OCC: a short one, sorry. ;D

After her mother’s first words and sad smile, showing Mitsouko how inappropriate her reply was, Mitsouko felt her face blush, realizing she had responded to her instincts to react to Tisuke’s remarks with blunt truth and aggressiveness. Maybe there was something that she wasn’t able to glance at until now, something that could show her a different person of what she used to believe her mother was.
When the Phoenix Tensai briefly mentioned unknown details about her relation with Mitsouko’s father, the kakita daimyo felt a clinching sensation, realizing how little she knew about her own life. They never talked about each other to her, or in front of her. She had a million of questions about her parents, but maybe that wasn't the right time to this subject.
The next words, facts sometimes hermetic to her bushi understanding, unveiling dramatic moments of her own existence that remained locked in her memory and far from her knowledge until now, was a maze of informations, intricate sequel of tragic events started by Kaoruko long time ago. And now her mother said she was, also, hostage of the will of the Otomo shugenja’s piece of soul.
She felt her eyes watered: Mother…
Mitsouko knelt in front of Tisuke, grabbed one of her hands tight, trying to make this contact enough to ease her mother’s pain.
Into the turmoil of feeling she was, something just didn’t sound right, though. She felt a big dumb, admitting her confusion to the pair of shugenja:
Wait… She turned her eyes from one to other. Release…Saimei? Why? How? Is she not a part…of myself? Is there a part of me that is lost? What now?

[Agasha Shodai]

A smile crossed Isawa Tisuke's lips as Mitsouko took her mother's hand, offering the woman an emotional comfort that brought her to the point where she might cry tears of joy. She patted her daughter's hand gratefully."Oh, Saimei is most assuredly part of who you are, Mitsouko... She's a nugget of your soul that is trapped in the past because of Kaoruko's betrayal; just like it is for myself and the Void Master here. It is..."[/b] She frowned trying to think of how to provide an explanation that Mitsouko could comprehend. She glanced at the Void Master. "I fear metaphysics isn't my strong suit, Shodai-dono. Can you explain?"[/b]

Agasha Shodai nodded. "I'm certain you know the philosophy of how a katana is a samurai's soul, Mitsouko-sa, and how when a bushi is in tune with the part of our soul that we put into the blade they become nigh unstoppable as long as we maintain that focus. Yes?"[/b] The Kenshinzen nodded; such was a basic part of an iaijutsu specialist's art.

Shodai pulled his paternal grandfather's wakizashi - saya and all - from his belt and set it on the table to provide a visualization to help explain."Now, picture in your mind the moment a katana is initially forged and assembled. That is, in essence, the moment that your soul was born when Lord Moon's blood landed on Lady Sun's tears at the dawn of human existence."

"We each live our lives, then we die and, if our karma requires it, we are reincarnated. Normally, when a soul is reincarnated, the vast majority of people forget everything from their prior incarnation... Think of it as katana disassembled, the blade is smelted down and then re-forged into a new one, and then reassembled with a fresh tsuba and tsuka, but the habaki, seppa, and menuki are reused - symbolizing things that carry over from one life to another, like gender, karma, and your soul's connection to the universe."

"In rare cases, like all three of ours, a small part of a previous incarnation - for whatever reason - survives the re-forging... Ah..."[/b] Shodai pointed to the small sword's guard. "Think of it as having the tsuba get re-used in the new weapon instead of being replaced. The katana is still a complete weapon, but it's not as new a weapon as it should normally become. These re-used hand guards are the fragments of Shokujin, Saimei and Kaoruko."[/b] He pointed at himself, Mitsouko, and Tisuke in turn.

"Now, essentially what Isawa-jiisama's spell was supposed to do, Mitsouko-sa, was to temporarily remove the guard because, say, the design wasn't in harmony with the whole of the weapon; in other words, the nightmares. Normally using a tsuba-less katana carries some danger, but think of the blade temporarily being a show piece; not for use as a functional weapon. Since the plan was to reattach the 'guard' - as it were - when you were older, before you began your formal training as a samurai, this would have been a complex, but ultimately un-momentous event."

"Instead, when the fragment of Kaoruko interfered and attacked you, think of it as having the table with all the pieces of the katana that had been removed to allow my grandfather to detatch the 'tsuba' that is what survived of Saimei overturned and scattered across the floor. While Isawa-jiisama was distracted by trying to gather all the pieces back together, Kaoruko removed the menuki from the tsuka and tried to stuff it along with the two seppa and the habaki in the case that would store the tsuba until it was needed."[/b]

Isawa Tisuke nodded, picking up the explanation. "If Kaoruko had successfully locked all four of those metaphysical pieces of your soul into the doll, it would have likely have put you into a coma; at least until the seal was broken and the 'katana' was completely reassembled. The nature of the seal that Isawa Ujina-sama was a complex 'we have only one shot at ever doing this' type spell. If Kaoruko had succeeded, the nightmares of Saimei's death would have continued to plague your sleep until you either got used to it or you lost your mind, Mitsu-chan."[/b] The Water Tensai shook her head. "I think she would have been satisfied with either outcome since you would be in agony until you could adapt."

"Fortunately, Ujina-sama partially realized what Kaoruko was doing and managed to pull back the seppa and habaki before completing the seal to keep Kaoruko from trying again. What he failed to notice, unfortunately, was that the metaphysical ornament, the menuki, was still within the magical jar that is the Hina Ningyo before you. The menuki, in this case, represents your ability to be at harmony in the universe and takes shape as the curse of Momoku you carry that hinders your innate ability to tap into the magical forces of the world, save for when you focus on your training to use the special skills that set Kakita duelists apart from ordinary bushi."[/b]

Agasha Shodai slid his wakizashi back into his obi. "At this point, Mitsouko-sa, you're likely thinking 'But I'm such an excellent swordswoman, suggesting that I'm an incomplete katana defies logic.' We're not saying anything of the kind... Life is intended to make the soul grow and develop, much like the nicks and cuts a weapon acquires in a lifetime of use give the weapon 'character.'"

"Think of it as if you'd lost the tips of your fingers in a childhood accident. You remember the pain of losing them, but you've grown up and adapted to that loss. At the same time, however, adapting does not regrow what was lost; it merely allows you to get by. Essentially, your soul has tried to grow a new tsuba and menuki from scratch, but is unable to and, further, you don't really know what it is you're missing."[/b]

Mitsouko's mother reached out to turn the Hina Ningyo so that it looked up at the Kakita Family Daimyo. "If you choose to allow Shodai-dono to break the seal and restore within you what has been locked away for most of your life, it will be like regrowing those fingertips. You will still be YOU, my dear Mitsu-chan, but at the same time that nugget of what survived of Saimei will begin to fuse with your soul. Think of it like having a katana with two tsuba stacked on top of each other that, as time passes, will join together as one guard."

"Will you notice a difference within you? Most assuredly. What will it feel like? I can't begin to guess; no one can. If Ujina-sama hadn't died before you were old enough, I would have explained it to you as a natural part of growing from a child to an adult. How it will affect you now that you are all grown up is impossible to predict."

"The decision is yours to make, Mitsu-chan: neither Shodai-dono nor I can force you to agree to this."[/b]

"Nor would we if we could."[/b] The Void Master said fervently.

Tisuke continued, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Shodai's words. "If you agree, it may bring you some discomfort, but it will also open new horizons for you, Mitsu-chan... It will enhance your abilities as a bushi and, if all three of us are lucky, provide an avenue to resolve the kharmic debts that we took to our deaths two hundred years ago. If those debts are paid, Kaoruko, Shokujin and Saimei will no longer possess a reason to maintain their identity: they will permanently fade into the background. In other words, our futures will be defined by the choices of THIS life - as it should be - rather than being colored by the previous one - as it currently is."

"If you do not agree, you will continue to live as you have and the story of the twisted threads of destiny will be frozen as things currently stand... You and Shodai-dono will be together, but Shokujin and Saimei will remain with you both. And that's not all, Mitsu-chan..."

"In my case, I will continue to have my persona and perceptions corrupted by Otomo Kaoruko's black feelings towards you my daughter. What's worse, I have begun to tire of the constant struggle for dominance between she and I... Times have happened - with increasing frequency and duration I fear - where she has managed to push me aside as she did during that spell despite my constant vigilence. When it happens, I am little more than a prisoner in my own body and forced to witness the actions she takes in my name until she wears herself out enough for me to take back control..."[/b]

The water shugenja took a tense breath; as if she feared the effect of the words that she was about to say would have on her relationship with her daughter: which was amicable for the first time since Mitsouko was young. "When Shodai-dono and I first showed up at the Chrysanthemum Bride Manor, you expressed surprise that I was aware of your illness."[/b] Tisuke looked at Shodai. "Nor did I seem shocked when you informed me that my daughter was at Emma-O's door the morning we met for breakfast after I'd hinted that I had a daughter on the marriage market, young Master..."[/b]

Agasha Shodai's eyes went wide as he intuitively leapt to what Mitsouko's mother was suggesting; finally understanding the reason for Tisuke to be in her death robes. "Arienaihodo... Shikirenai!"[/b] He breathed in unmitigated shock.

Isawa Tisuke lowered her head in shame. "Unfortunately, young Master, it is entirely believable and quite possible to do when one's heart is filled with evil intent and lacks scruples of any kind. The poison... The assassins... The countless snares that seemed to appear out of nowhere to threaten you, Mitsouko..."[/b] She turned to face her daughter, squeezed her hand, expecting that Mitsouko's next action would be to yank it away. "They were all sent after you by the soul fragment of Otomo Kaoruko using my personal wealth and resources while I was trapped as a helpless witness!"[/b]

Without releasing her daughter's hand, the arrogant, proud Water Tensai bowed at the waist until her forehead was pressed to the floor. "If you choose not to release Saimei from her soul prison of slumber, I beg you..."[/b] Tisuke looked up into her daughter's eyes, her own red from tears and the next words coming out as a wail of self-loathing. "I beg that you kill me NOW[/u], while I can still fight to hold Kaoruko in check, so that I no longer must live with the constant dread that one day I will wake to find that she has succeeded in destroying the ONE good thing I have managed to accomplish in my life, Mitsouko-chan... Bringing YOU into the world, my beloved daughter!"[/color][/b]

Isawa Tisuke bowed to her daughter once again, feeling at peace with herself for the first time in over a decade.

Either way, Mitsouko's choice would see the beginning of the end of the cursed darkness of Otomo Kaoruko.

[Kakita Mitsouko]

The clear metaphor was something she could understand though, but it didn’t made things appear better. She used to have vivid remembrances of the worst day of her life. And of the sensation of have something incorporeal being ripped off her body, then torn apart until it was too much and she dove into a floating world of black emptiness.

Funny enough, she wasn’t able to recall this man, Shodai’s grandfather, whom saved her.

But then Tisuke revealed her crime to an astonished Mitsouko:

You… she was just able to whisper, shocked, feeling the blood of her face running. It hurt more than she ever imagined it was, knowing the truth. Mitsouko had had hints and rationalized over the occurrences to find it by herself, but in the last instant she dismissed those conclusions as blasphemous and preferred to continue in ignorance about the murder attempts.

You… did that… I mean, she did that… Oh. Mitsouko remembered all her agony, by the time of her fathers’s death. And odd thoughts ran through her head.

Mother, tell me: what do you know about my father’s death?

[Agasha Shodai]

Isawa Tisuke frowned slightly in thought at Kakita Mitsouko's question. "Know?"[/b] The Water Tensai's voice betrayed her confusion. "I'm not sure what there IS to know... I was told that his body washed ashore with Tsukinai. Was Kaoruko involved in his death? No; she was rather fond of him, despite his attitude towards us."[/b]

She made a 'What can you say' gesture with her hands. "I was able to keep a distant eye on you, Mitsouko, only thanks to the spell that connects you to the Hina Ningyo here. I had no desire to keep tabs on Shinoburo; ours was a passion-less marriage of duty to our Clans and I had no desire to know just how many strumpets tickled his fancy while we were married or after the divorce."

"But I agree that its unusual that Shinoburo would die in a storm at sea... Your father was too cautious to risk his life sailing if the weather manipulation shugenja felt that it was unsafe to sail..."[/b]

Tisuke turned to Agasha Shodai. "Shodai-dono, you have means at your disposal to see events before they can unfold, but also see things that have happened in the past... Can you use your abilities to find out what could have possibly been so important to Shinoburo that he would take such an uncharacteristic risk?"[/b]

Agasha Shodai nodded once, but looked to Mitsouko. "Anything to bring Mitsouko comfort..."[/b]

The Void Master closed his eyes and began to hum the Sutra of the Mandala of Heaven. It was a simple tune, designed to help focus the mind in the ways required to peer through the veil of Destiny to the Divine Wheel. It took him a few minutes to locate Mitsouko's and Tisuke's threads and follow them back to a point where they were intertwined with some regularity around a third thread: Kakita Shinoburo.

A frown of consternation crossed Shodai's lips as he noticed dingy colors in Shinoburo's thread - each color representing the interaction with a particular Fortune. Normally, "dirty" and "washed out" colors were a sign of disfavor with the Fortune in question and typically only lasted until a person atoned for whatever action angered the Tengoku native. An extended duration meant that the Fortune had turned their back on a given soul...

And not only was every single color of Kakita Shinoburo's thread dim, but they had been so for decades...

That it had been so since well before the birth of Mitsouko and his marriage to Tisuke was absolutely incomprehensible to the Void Master.

Sliding his gaze forward, towards the end of Shinoburo's thread, a single vibrant color appeared on the surface of the dull thread - the purple of Muzaka, the Fortune of Enigma - and proceeded to wrap around it: a sign of a complex plan in the making.

As the wrap grew increasingly tight, a fog began to form around the thread; much as it had around the threads of Shodai, Mitsouko, and Sanjuro when their journey had begun. The Void Master sighed, pulling away - it was clear that Tengoku was not willing to let Shodai know what had lead to Shinoburo's trip - when he paused, noticing something as being out of place...

The fog of mystery around Shinoburo's thread extended well past when Shodai had saved Mitsouko's life from the poison. That could only mean..!

Agasha Shodai's eyes snapped open as he concluded his meditation/spell.

Isawa Tisuke arched an eyebrow. "What did you find, Shodai-dono?"[/b]

The Void Master slid around the table to where the woman who'd filled his heart with hope and peace was sitting. Without saying anything, Shodai breached social protocol and took the Kenshinzen's hand in his, giving it a comforting squeeze. "Mitsouko-sa... Your father... He..."[/b] He licked his lips, which suddenly felt parched. "I'm not sure why he left, but..."[/b] The Void Master looked into the Kakita Family Daimyo's green-gold sad eyes, his own reflecting hope, anger, confusion, and frustration. "Wherever he is, whatever he's doing, Kakita Shinoburo is ALIVE[/i], Mitsouko-sa!"[/color][/b]

Isawa Tisuke's jaw dropped open slightly at the news.

[Kakita Mitsouko]

What? Is he alive? Sorry, Sho, I cannot doubt of your communion with the powers but... you SHOULD be wrong! What else? When I permit Saimei to be released, will she taking my body forever? What I have done for having it?
She wasn't able to refrain her emotions anymore; she spoke it loudly, raising and somewhat looking for an exit. Seconds later, though, she fell into reality and bowed instinctively, to both: Please, pardon me, I lose myself. I need to remain calm, but please, it's too hard to listen into a single day...
She bit her lips, ashamed of what she considerd a childish behavior of herself.
A thing at time, ne? She tried to smile and demonstrate some confidence, but probably failed. Let's do it. Do you know how to do it? If Saimei needs to be released for their tragic story come to an end and free all of us of their influence, I won't be the one obstructing it.
My father's destiny, though, can be discussed later, after we be freed of this nightmare. She sat again, resisting the urge of hiding her face into her hands...

[Agasha Shodai]

Agasha Shodai nodded in agreement, placing a calm hand on Mitsouko's shoulder. "It's okay, Mitsouko-sa; I know it's a lot to get thrown at you all at once. And you're with family and, dare I say it, future family..."[/b] A smile and a slight blush warmed his comforting tone of voice. "...so never feel embarrassed because you are expressing your true feelings in private. I would rather see you express your honest feelings, even if they are unpolitely spoken, than have you bottle it up, as society expects of us in public, and leave you suffering in silence, Mitsouko-sa."[/b]

The Void Master sighed, bowing his head slightly. "And I apologize for breaking the news so abruptly... The vision is currently cloudy, but when we have more time I promise you, I will get to the bottom of it. But I agree, one thing at a time. Let's see if we can ease your fears a little; it will help with the re-integration."[/b] Shodai looked at Mitsouko's mother. "Tisuke-san, you mentioned that when Kaoruko pushes herself to the forefront, you can see her actions. How often would you say this happens?"[/b]

Tisuke - whose face had taken on a happy, but slightly jealous look when Shodai had spoken his feelings to Mitsouko - paused as she thought. "When your grandfather's spell first faded, it was only for a few minutes and only happened once or twice a year. Now, ten years later, she can take control of our mutual body for at most two hours once every two weeks."[/b]

Shodai nodded to her and turned back to Mitsouko. "Now, in your mother's case, that's happening to her because its a contest of wills between herself and the fragment of Otomo Kaoruko. In my case, as you know from our journey together, I was working in harmony with Miya Shokujin and, at first, only had visions when I was saturated with magic and made contact with you. It would have stayed that way if not for my brush with Meido when we were dealing with Isawa Isshin and the Oni summoned in his name. Even then, the visions only came when I saw something that struck a resonant chord in Shokujin's memories and he only "took control" of me once and only for a few minutes."

"Since your intent, Mitsouko-sa, is to work WITH Seppun Saimei rather than against her, your experience will probably be more like mine than your mother's. It will feel strange when you experience memories that belong to Saimei, but, on the other hand, anything unusual that happens to someone for the first time feels strange; until you get used to it, that is. Think of it..."[/b] He paused in thought, thinking of a decent analogy. "Think of it as learning a new Kata, but instead of working your body to build physical muscle memory, you're using your mind and soul to build emotional and mental muscle memory. And when it's all said and done, you will still be you, but maybe better than you are now for the experience."[/b]

Isawa Tisuke picked up the Hina Ningyo and handed it over to Agasha Shodai. "Here you are, Shodai-dono..."[/b] She sighed, giving them both an exhausted yet glad smile. "You have no idea how much I have looked forward to this day..."[/b]

The Void Master took the doll and examined it with all of his senses, his eyes focused on the doll, but looking beyond it at the same time. There, in the elemental essence of the doll's existence, Agasha Shodai sensed the traces of Isawa Ujina's - his maternal grandmother's - power: as strict, mentally rigid, and disapproving as every one of Shodai's picture-perfect memories of the man.

With a probe using his formidable command of the Void, he touched the seal and began to open the locks. Surprisingly, the process was far easier than Shodai had expected; he'd dealt with several of his grandfather's seals in the past and they had universally been fiendishly complex. The ones in the doll, however, were ones that required a great deal of energy to unlock, but the keys were relatively simple.

"Well met, Ojiimusuko."[/b] The voice of Isawa Ujina spoke aloud from the unmoving lips of the doll as he reached the second-to-last seal.

Agasha Shodai shook his head as he looked at the two samurai-ko, who looked confused by the new voice. "It's just a recording Isawa-jiisama made of his voice. He did this if the instructions for removing the seal were going to be too complex to easily enscribe into the mystical glyph itself."[/b]

"To open the final lock, this doll must be returned to the hands of Kakita Tisuke's firstborn daughter, which she must hold in place over her heart. Cast a spell to put her capacity to feel pain - or the daughter herself - to sleep. Then - while utilizing the Gogyou Kaiin - you must pass your arm through the doll, without breaking it, to return that which is sealed within back to where it belongs."

"Once it is in place - and without removing your hand - utilize the Shishou Fuuin to open the inner gates of the soul. Release the Gogyou Kaiin only AFTER opening the gates to allow what has been seperated to reunite and then using the Shishou Fuujin to close the gates. After the gates are closed, Kakita Mitsouko will have the abilities and traits she possessed at birth restored to her..."[/b]

As the ghostly voice of Isawa Ujina faded away, Agasha Shodai looked deeply into Kakita Mitsouko's liquid green eyes. "The soul bond that permitted you to Voidwalk with me can allow me to allow you to stay awake and go through the reunification with out fear of physical pain, Mitsouko-sa. But for me to silence the possible pain of the soul, you are going to have to open the armor that we all wear to hide our truest self from the world."[/b]

The shugenja held out the doll to the kenshinzen. "You must ask - and answer - yourself two questions, Mitsouko-sa... Can you say that you have the same complete faith in me, now, that you once held in your mother when you were a child? Are you willing to let me see your truest self, Mitsouko-sa, the self you are when you are not bound by duty to Family, service to Clan, or rules of society? If no, I can put you to sleep and wake you when I finish. If yes, we can begin the preparation for the final leg of the journey to resolve the kharmic destiny of Saimei and Shokujin as we began it... Together, as equals."[/b]

[Kakita Mitsouko]

She looked at her mother before giving Shodai an answer. I am more than ready to give back my trust to my mother… and I don’t think I have something to hide from nobody, even less from people I trust the most.
Of course Mitsouko was afraid. They were talking about her naked personality, thing even her could not know about herself. Giving it in conscious goodwill was just like a first night with her future husband, or even more intimate than it.
But, perhaps, she gave Sho a deep glance, you can find my flaws unbearable, and I, unworthy of your trust and friendship.

[Agasha Shodai]

Agasha Shodai smiled kindly at Mitsouko, hoping to banish such fears. "Our truest self is what instinctively comes out when one cannot think clearly and focus on who they are... Like the samurai who is brave when he is dueling one-on-one, but when in war where the odds are 5-to-1 against him panics and bolts, leaving his honor on the battlefield because his truest self loves to live so much that self-preservation rules when trained reason fails."

"Besides, you've already shown glimmers of your truest self to me many times during our journey... When you breathed life back into me after my brush with Meido... When you came to rescue me from the self-loathing funk I fell into at Kyuden Miya..."[/b]

The Void Master caressed the Kakita Family Daimyo's cheek, deeply wishing they were alone so he could give her a kiss to drive home how confident he was in his feelings for her. "And in that moment we had in the teahouse garden... Those were you when you were not being Kakita Mitsouko, not a Kakita Duelist turned Kenshinzen, not the Kakita Family Daimyo or any of the other jobs and duties that you carry... In those precious, fleeting moments, you were pure Mitsouko, a Mitsouko with a compassionate, caring heart and damned be the social niceties."[/b]

Shodai's two-color eyes looked deeply into Mitsouko's. "The other Mitsoukos are what gave us the political and social reasons to be together, to allow us to make our journey together. But it is your truest self, the one that emerged in those moments when I needed you the most, THAT is the Mitsouko that won my heart, Mitsouko-sa."

"I have no fear of what I will see. If anything, doing this will make me appreciate you all the more."[/b]

[Kakita Mitsouko]

Mitsouko cleaned her throat throwing meaningful glances towards her mother’s presence in the same room. Tisuke wasn’t comfortable at all, in fact, witnessing their closeness. Thank you, Sho.

She fell silent considering and treasuring his words in her mind, for a moment, eyes turned down, and cleared the throat again. It was the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard, directed to me. They were sincere and pure, like you are. Once we have the proper time, I promise you another tea time, another chance of being ourselves, with no titles or ghosts of any type between us.

With a sigh, she returned to her practical stance, breaking the emotional moment on purpose she wasn’t willing of making Kaoruko’s ghostly part of her mother strong again.

So, please, what I need to do? Do I need any preparation?