The Beauty of the West: The Blue Route

Chapter Seven: The Truth, Revealed.

I made it back home to Oshu with Kojuro and the rest of the army. Kanbe came along with us. I'm sure he was tired by the time we got there, dragging that giant ball around.

I felt as if Kanbe and I had the same connection as when we were little. I made some tea and sweets so that we could have a decent discussion.

"This is what you've been learnin while you were away? I'm impressed!" Kanbe started the conversation off.

"She's been training too." Kojuro bragged. "So, Young Blossom, what is this all about?"

"(Y/N)." I stated. "My name is (Y/N) Toyotomi."

"The missing Toyotomi?" Kojuro stood, in shock. Kanbe just watched, and ate a few sweets.

"Hey. These are not bad!" He mentioned, but Kojuro and I didn't respond.

"Yes, I am the missing..." I answered.

"You said you wanted to overcome your father...." Kojuro began to put together.

"Yeah? I'd love to see that!" Kanbe added. "You didn't see what he put her through though. I'd like to see his head roll too, for what he did to her."

"I see.." Kojuro was definitely taking it all in. "So then how did you end up in those chains?"

"Tried to kill the bastard myself so I could rule the country and find (Y/N). For that I was condemned to work in the mines. Wearing these. You can bet that no one believed me when untold them the real story."

Kanbe had been punished only because he wanted to find me. I couldn't believe that he had made such a sacrifice for me. I felt grateful, but I also felt guilty. I left him for so long because of my hatred against my father. I needed to do something to make amends.

"You went through all that for me?" I asked, my eyes growing glossy. "Ill repay you kanbe...and I'll do it by getting those off your hands." I pointed to his shackles.

"Nah, there is only one key for this thing, and Yoshitsugu's got it."

"I'll find a way to get you out. I promise." I smiled. "Anyway, I don't know what he had told everyone, but that night, when I was taken by the Oda, he did nothing to stop it. He actually gave them permission to take me, and wouldn't pay the ransom they had asked for, for my safe return. I had spent a week with the Oda, before the attacking nation from the north arrived and saved me." I smiled at Kojuro.

"So you're tellin' me that the One-Eyed Dragon's army saved you from them?"

"Is that so hard to believe, Badger?" Kojuro asked. I felt some tension in the air.

"No, no..." kanbe smirked. "But (Y/N), I would have liked to know that you were alright atleast. I spent these last years wondering what was happening to you, and if you were still alive."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to take any chance of being found by Hideyoshi. Not until I was ready atleast. But now, I am ready to face my past. I want to go back, and confront him. And after that, I want to take on the Oda!"

"Woah. Hold on a second there kid, I get that you're eager to settle all the crap, but you're gonna hafta be a little more patient than that. You're talkin about the two strongest armies in all of Japan!"

"Still...it can be done." Kojuro added. "We'd need a good strategist, of course."

"If that's your way of asking me to join Oshu, no thanks. I'd rather not."

"You're a strategist?" I asked.

"Wow, you really have been hiding out all these years." Kanbe looked at me funny. I nodded.

"I never left Oshu. This is my home now. So, Kanbe, I am asking you for your help in this venture. Will you?" I made a pouty face.

"...now you, I can't say no to. Count me in."

"Thank you Kanbe!" I hugged him. In the middle of my embrace, Masamune entered the room, talking about something I didn't quite catch. He stopped mid sentence when he saw me hugging Kanbe.

He looked at us wide-eyed for just a moment, before smirking slightly and looking at Kojuro. "Hey. I need to talk to you, privately. Now."

"Yes, My Lord." Kojuro stood, and left with Masamune.

"Hm. The hell was that about?" Kanbe asked, stuffing a cake in his mouth.

"I don't know but...did you see the way he looked at me just now?" Thinking about it, it gave me the shivers. He looked surprised for a moment, but then smirked like he didn't care.

"Doesn't he look at everyone that way?" Kanbe laughed. "What do you care anyway?"

I turned my head away, trying to hide the obvious rosy color appearing in my cheeks.

"Ohhhhh. I see what's goin on. You like him huh?" He elbowed me.

"He was the one who insisted on rescuing me back then. He is the reason I'm here. And he...he has helped me gain my confidence as a warrior. He was always there, whether he was a jerk or not. Kanbe, I think I'm...I think I love him."

"I wouldn't know nothin about that. So...Ima bet that you haven't told him yet."

"I was going to, when we came back from defending Odawara. But he seems...mad that I defended him from Mitsu."

"The One-Eyed Dragon has a hell of an ego. Probably steamed cuz he got his ass beat and then showed up by a girl." He laughed.

"I just didn't want him to get hurt. He had taken such a beating from Mitsu and he was hurt. I just couldn't take seeing him losing you know?"

"Eh, let 'im be a crybaby. He should be grateful, but he'll never admit he needed you."

"That's what I'm afraid of. Maybe I shouldn't tell him.."

"Y'know, you can tell him your feelings, and he rejects you, or not tell him at all and he'll never know. Either way, his loss."

He was right. But not telling him would be my loss too. We would be awesome together, if Masamune would get off his high horse. But...that would probably never happen.