Twelve Lies I Told Shingen Takeda

Epilogue - A Sky Clad Promise

The letter sat innocently on Shingen's desk – all three of our names were written across it. For a moment, none of us made a move to open it, although I did pick it up and shake it. No telltale rattle of shogi tiles. I supposed that was a message in and of itself. "Did you see who delivered it?"

"Reddish hair, big ears," Sasuke said. He took the packet and turned it over and back, then set it on the desk again. "I questioned him, but he was insistent that he didn't have any additional knowledge.

"That's Takauji. He probably doesn't know where Aki is now, but he usually delivers through the San'ido circuit, that might be where Aki last was – or he may have picked up the message directly from the Mountain." The latter was less likely as Shingen's mitsumono had been pretty closely watching for him there. Also, Taka was the least naturally inquisitive of Aki's messengers so it would have been useless to press him for more knowledge... a fact that Aki was well aware of.

Finally, Shingen took the initiative of unfolding the letter and reading it to all of us.

By this time, all three of you have realized that I spend a considerable amount of my life travelling between and amongst various timelines-

"Skipped the greeting." Sasuke helped himself to some tea.

"Aki is only warm in small doses." You'd think after seven years, though, he would have offered at least a 'best regards' to me, instead of what amounted to a generic, 'to whom it may concern.' Then again, who was I to complain – I'd been guilty of skipping a greeting often enough.

Lord Shingen, while I appreciate the amount of work you have done to create your mitsumono network, it is not the best use of resources to send them all after me.

"Noticed that, did he?" Shingen flexed his wrist in memory of the hours he and I had spent writing instructions to his spies.

I would not like to interrupt my work to have to fish one of them out of a timeline.

"That would be bad." Sasuke settled down at the desk with his tea. "Although Sute would probably get a kick out of it."

I took a moment to envision the chaos that Sute could cause in a timeline. "She might, but Sasuke Mach 2 might not."

"Oh... I might." Sasuke was typically blank faced, but Shingen shot him a look. Hm. There was something here I was missing. I'd have to get it out of Shingen later.

Katsuko, I apologize for not telling you that I knew you were from the future, and that I was a traveler as well. It was my belief that you would adjust faster and more easily that way. There was a rather specific task that I needed you to perform – and rest assured you have completed it. I was unsure when and how this situation would present in this timeline. Readying you for that was essential.

"Do you think it was related to...?" Sasuke inclined his head in Shingen's direction.

"I am sitting right here." Despite the sarcasm, Shingen gave Sasuke a look of affectionate patience.

I shook my head. "No. I think it must be the boy. Hikosane. I ran into Aki in Kasugayama a few weeks before you and Shingen went to the future, and he said something to the effect that I had done whatever it was he wanted me to do."

"You never mentioned that to me." Shingen flicked my forehead, but too gently to sting.

"I had other things on my mind." I probably wouldn't have mentioned it in any case, but I truly had forgotten.

This timeline has stabilized, and I am addressing this comment directly to Mr. Mikumo--

Sasuke tapped his chest. "He sounds so professor-like there."