Swords & Saniwa

Stone

~Kashuu Kiyomitsu~
加州 清光

Requested by KarinSuzuki! Hope you like it! :D

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As she was taken to the treatment room, secretary Tsurumaru then grabbed on his coat and looked into his red orbs with anger.

"I'll cut you down if something happens to her."

It was the first time the crane was seen in such an expression. Not even the sage knew that he had that protective side of him. Kashuu Kiyomitsu then knelt down on the wooden flooring, dazed.

It all began when she was on an expedition with the main auxiliary team.

"Woah... So many resources! Finally!" The sage exclaimed, almost wanting to sink herself in the sea of resources before getting dragged away by Tsurumaru.

"Yes, yes~ Get onto your horse. Everyone, we're leaving!" Calling at them, he then soon rode on his horse before the sage realised something was amiss.

"Where's Kashuu? Wait Tsuru, I'll go get him!" Kicking the horse at its side, it galloped towards the street before the crane could catch her.

"That sword again! Others, go back to the citadel first! I need to find Aruji!" Cursing internally, he galloped his way back to the streets.

~~

"It's done~"

Looking at his nail polishes, he smiled before realising that everyone was gone.

"Hah... They left without me... Well, I'll go back on my own." Sulking, he rode on his horse and left the streets, heading straight to the citadel.

Meanwhile she was still looking for his whereabouts. Anxious at his disappearance, she calmed herself down and started thinking as she sat under a tree while taking her horse to a nearby river for a short rest.

"Kashuu probably went back to the citadel since everyone left without him... Perhaps I should go back and wait for him.. I'll send out a notice to the Government to look out for him if he's still not back yet.."

Making her decision after much consideration, she then rode on the horse once more and headed back.

Running into enemies on the way back was probably the worst thing that she didn't want to face.

As they surrounded her, she then got down of the horseback and took her tachi out. Years of practice made her one of the sages known to be skilled in combat alongside with her swords.

Except that it was an unfavourable situation.

It was four against one.

She gave a deep breath before launching at them. With a few quick slashes that they could not read in time, two of the four were destroyed. As if they were equipped with a controller, both launched at her at the same time. She was only able to slash the one who was slower and dodge the latter's attack. Her white top was cut into shreds, soon staining crimson liquid as she felt pain from her abdomen. Gritting her teeth, she used a technique that blinded its sight before cutting through it.

She won.

Kneeling down, she looked down to see how serious it was. Taking off her top, it was only a superficial one as she tried to stop the bleeding.

"Aruji!"

She knew who was it even without looking at the owner of the voice. He ran towards her before confirming his worst fears.

"Hang in there, I'll get you back in the citadel immediately!" Taking off his haori, he tied it around the wound and let her lie against a tree trunk. Tying her horse's leash to his one, he then carried her up before heading back in full speed, continuously praying in his heart that she would survive the ordeal and constantly checking on her vitals.

By the time he reached the citadel, his haori was already half soaked in blood.

"It's a little deep, so she'll need some stitches. I already gave her anaesthetic, so don't worry." Yagen told the crane, taking the hooked needle and a small packet of black thread.

And it has been five years since that incident. It left a long, horizontal scar on her abdomen.

"Oiiii Kashuu~"

Returning to his senses back, he realised the sage was standing in front of him. "Ah, Aruji..." He then turned his body towards her, listening to what she had to say to him.

"Letting go is better than holding onto it. It's been five years."

Since then he grew a phobia where he wouldn't go for expeditions and focused on sorties instead. He was also one of the few known swords who goes into the repair room every few days.

He didn't want to see her injured again due to him. Who knows what might happen next time, he thought.

"Tell me if you want to go for an expedition with the others. I'll put you in one of the teams."

Standing up, she went back to her office, sighing at his condition.

"What's wrong, General?"

"Nothing. Switch out Aizen and put Kashuu into your team for the expedition later."

"Yes, as you wish."

She had to help him overcome it, even if it makes him angry or irritated.

She would rather be shouted at then watching her beloved sword suffering silently.

She loved him.