The Beauty Of The West

Osaka Christmas Special

It was getting to be an amazing time of year. I didn't know much about it, since I had never celebrated a single holiday with anyone I loved. When I was with the Saica Faction, I had heard about the holidays like Christmas, but I didn't really know what it was about. So auntie explained it to me.

"Christmas is the time of year when we celebrate our family. We get together and have an amazing time with food, and enjoying each other's company." Auntie explained. "Sometimes we exchange gifts too. But that part isn't necessary if you don't want to. My favorite is the mistletoe."

"What is Mistletoe?" I asked.

"It's a plant that you hang on the ceiling. Whoever stands underneath together has to kiss."

"I want some mistletoe!" I squealed like a fangirl. Even though I had been married to Mitsu for about a half a year, he still gave me the butterflies. I still couldn't wait to kiss him every time I saw him.

"Where is the Dark King anyway?"

"I don't really know." I laughed. "He must be around here somewhere. He didn't tell me that he was leaving... And his horse is still here."

We looked around the castle, but couldn't find him anywhere. So the two of us decided to decorate. We put candles all around and made paper star lanterns to hang all around. We even put up mistletoe in the dining hall doorway.

"I'm going to invite a few people. Do you want to have Christmas here?"  I asked. Because if she didn't, and wanted to have Christmas at the Maeda house, then I would definitely go there instead.

"Well, it is in two days. It gives us plenty of time to prepare. I'm sure the boys would love to come and spend Christmas with the Ishidas."

"Yay! I'll get to writing invitations right now!"

I wrote heartfelt letters to a small list of people. Masamune and Kojuro, Motochika, Sensei, Kanbe, Ieyasu, and Yukimura. I didn't invite the entire armies, because I knew they would have their families to spend it with.

"I'm gonna head home then. I'll tell the boys about your party. And I'll help cook!"

"Thank you auntie!" I embraced her tightly before she dressed in her pelts to keep her warm on the journey home and mounted her horse.

Since I couldn't find Mitsu anywhere, I decided to go out and see what I would get everyone as a gift. I knew exactly what I wanted to give Mitsu.

I dressed in a cloak for the cold weather outside, and found my horse to ride into town. I was sure to leave a note behind for Mitsu so if he came back he wouldn't freak out the way he did at times. Sometimes over the smallest things...

I found a forging hut when I got into town, and that's exactly where I wanted to go.

"Oh. Lady Ishida." A man greeted me when I entered and dropped to one knee out of respect."

"Hello." I smiled. "Thank you, please rise." After he stood up again, I continued, "I need to ask a great deal of you. I would like to make a one of a kind sword. But, I would like to help. And can you use this to melt down for metal?" I pulled out a gun from my cloak. "I've removed the bullets, and I would like to make it into a sword. Of course I will pay you handsomely for your time."

"There is no need for that, My Lady. I will give you a good price."

Sure he said that, but I was still going to give him a good amount for his help.

The swordsmith had me put on a mask to protect me from the fumes of melting my gun. He cooled it and added more liquid metal to it to lengthen it a bit. He held the metal down and gave me a hammer so I could shape the new sword the way I wanted to. It ended up being a little crooked, but the swordsmith helped me smooth it out. In a few hours, the sword was finished.