Author's Games: Samurai

Naoki's Ending

This is Naoki's ending, written by Several7s! Enjoy!

He knew it was a losing battle, but even so, the loss devastated him. It was the final proof of the facts that he had been ignoring. He just wasn't good enough. Not good enough to convince Kyou he was still loyal, and not good enough to prevent the terrible losses. As the battle finally ended, he went to find Ryo, his mind made up.

"Ryo-kun, I'm leaving," he said, after making sure they were alone. "You're in charge now."

"Very well, Naoki-kun. When will you be back?" Ryo replied evenly.

"I won't. I want you to spread the rumors that I died and take over." While Naoki kept his tone even, inside, he was in turmoil. He knew this was the right choice. Returning to the simple lifestyle he'd led as a rōnin would allow someone better suited to the task of leading take over. Ryo would be that man, and Naoki was sure that his general would make an excellent daimyo.

"Naoki-kun, we need you here. You are our leader, and after such a loss, the clan would be hard-pressed to rise up against Oda-san again if you left," Ryo objected.

"I am no leader," Naoki said. "I never was, and I never will be. I am a rōnin, and to reject my fate will do you no good. You will not win if I lead you. I cannot stay and be the reason more lives are lost."

"If you cannot lead, then I will be no better," Ryo stated, folding his arms across his chest. "Despite what you seem to have convinced yourself of, you are a great leader, and this will not solve anything."

"No. My leaving will not solve anything, you are right. But it will allow you to fix what I cannot, and perhaps... perhaps with me gone, you will be able to defeat Oda. Tell the twins and Hirotei the truth, but no one else." He hesitated, then made up his mind. "Have someone deliver these letters to Kyou-kun and Natsumi-chan as well. Tell the clan whatever you have to, just make them believe I'm dead," Naoki said, handing two carefully folded letters to Ryo and turning to go.

"Naoki-kun, wait!" Ryo called.

Naoki turned. "Hai?"

"I still believe in you, Naoki-sama. You were... are... the best leader I've ever served, and it is an honor to have you as my daimyo. If you believe this is the right thing to do, then I will lead, but I do not intend to take over forever. I will find another to take my place and find you again."

For the first time, Naoki realized just how much their friendship meant to him, and clearly to Ryo as well. Ryo met his gaze, his intentions clear. He would not back down from the declaration, and he planned to go through with it.

"So be it," Naoki answered finally. "Until then."

"Until then," Ryo murmured, watching his friend and leader disappear into the night. He wants so badly to go back and figure out what he did wrong. Why he wasn't good enough. But he doesn't understand. Doesn't see that he was good enough. He did more than anyone else could have done for the Hojo clan, and he doesn't even see it.

***

One Month Later:

Naoki wiped the sweat from his brow and dug his shovel into the dirt, widening the hole. When it was big enough, he dropped the shovel and picked up a small box, opening it. Inside was his story, written in careful detail over the past month. He closed it again, and locked it, attaching the key to the box and setting all of it into the hole. Maybe someone, someday, will unearth it and discover my story. Maybe they will learn from my mistakes, and use it to triumph where I could not.

He straightened and used the shovel to dump the dirt back over it. When he was finished, he picked up the seed for the sakura tree and carefully planted it near the hole. Grow tall, he thought as he planted it. Protect your secret, and, when it is time, reveal it to the world.

As he stood, he heard the sound of horses approaching and looked to the little dirt road that led to his cottage. Hirotei approached, riding a black stallion at a gentle trot. He slowed at the gate and dismounted.

"Hirotei-kun," Naoki greeted him with a smile.

"Naoki-kun," Hirotei returned. "You are a hard man to find, I must say, but your habits betrayed you."

"Oh?"

"You protect the villagers near here as if they were your own clan. They did not want to reveal your home to me until I proved to be a friend," Hirotei explained. "It seems you've found yourself a nice place to hide out."

"Hai, I suppose. It lacks some things, but I believe... I believe they are things that I am not meant to have, and I have accepted that," Naoki replied.

"How are you my friend?" Hirotei asked, leading his horse through the gate and toward Naoki's small stable area.

"I am well," Naoki told him, feeling, for the first time in a long time, that it might actually be true. "Let's talk inside."

***

75 Years Later:

"The sakura tree fell over in the storm, chichi," the young girl said sorrowfully. "We won't have any more cherry blossoms."

Her father knelt beside her with a smile. "We'll plant a new one, Akari," he promised gently. "After this one has been moved, there will be plenty of room for another one to grow up just as big and strong."

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Really?"

Her mother came outside and smiled at her daughter. "Yes, Ōjo."

Akari smiled and ran off to play. Her parents watched her go, and then turned to the tree. Her mother stared at it. "The elderly man who used to live here planted it," she said quietly. "I think he would be sad to see it gone."

"I do not think so," her husband replied. "This is the way of life, and sometimes it takes a tragedy to make a miracle."

She smiled. "Hai. Sore wa hontōdesu."

Later, as they were digging a hole to plant the new tree, the shovel hit something with a solid clang. "Chichi? What was that?" Akari asked, leaning over the hole and peering in.

"Well let's see, shall we?" he replied, kneeling next to her and reaching down.

He picked up a box and brushed the dirt off of it. "Open it, open it!" Akari said excitedly.

"Patience, Ōjo, patience," he laughed.

Using the key, he carefully unlocked it and opened the cover. Inside was a well-preserved parchment roll, closed with a ribbon. Untying and unrolling it, he began to read.

Hello. My name is Hojo Naoki, and this is my story...