Swords & Saniwa

True

~Yamanbagiri Kunihiro~
山姥切 国広

Requested by The_Insane_Reader

-------------------------------------------------

The fact that he was a duplicate did not turn her away. Instead, she drew herself closer to him.

She didn't care about a genuine or a duplicate sword. What matters was their heart and mind.

But sadly, a certain sword just do not understand her at all.

What's so good being a duplicate? It was simply just a copy of the original; a fake one. An original always does a better job than its copy.

"Look Kunihiro, you are the one and only 'Yamanbagiri Kunihiro' to me! In other words, you are an original sword!" She said happily, trying to change his perspective. Of course, fellow duplicate Sohayanotsurugi did try to change him, but that didn't work as well. He was perplexed at his behavior; why would someone mind about whether is he a duplicate or not? 

"I'll excuse myself for a while~" Telling him, she went to the washroom and started coughing, unable to hold it back anymore. She took her hand off from her mouth, and saw blood on it.

This wasn't a common sight to the sage. Years of work and fatigue had caught up on her, giving her illnesses.

It could not be cured.

Washing off the blood and rinsing her mouth, she looked at herself in the mirror, trying to get herself back in shape.

She didn't want him to know about it. Only Ichigo and Yagen knew about her condition, both utterly shocked at her sudden illness. They had to keep it to themselves due to her pleas to keep it as a secret.

Yagen did his best to find a cure, but it did not succeed. She often saw him throwing the medical texts when he couldn't find the cure to vent his frustration. Even a doctor from her world could not help, saying that surgery or other types of treatment would not work. Medicine would only be able to prolong her life.

It's natural, she thought. The human life is fragile and meagre as compared to her swords. All life are bound to end someday.

She could feel her heart ache a bit whenever she saw him still trapped in his mind.

If only she could change him.

~~

Days flew by, and her health was decreasing.

"Aruji!" The eyepatch called her, breaking the fall. She suddenly lost strength in her hand and broke the teacup before collapsing. He acted quickly and caught her in time, glad that she didn't hurt herself.

"I am fine.." She uttered, trying to stand up without his help. A thin layer of sweat covered her forehead. With a quick scoop, she was on his arms.

"W-Wait..! Mitsutada!" She struggled, but one look from him caused her to stop her movements completely. He was really worried about her.

Setting her down on the tatami, he made the bedding before he was about to carry her.

"It's fine.. I can stand." She told him as she stood up, staggering to the futon. 

"Aruji... I apologise for my rudeness, but are you hiding something from me?"

She flinched slightly at his sudden question as she thought on her answer.

There was no use in hiding it.

"Call everyone to my office. I'll tell you everything."

~~