Wildfire
Reiko poked her head into the cabin where Akechi sat alone, writing something down. "Lord? Can I speak to you for a moment?"
He lifted his head and recognized her. "Reiko. Of course, come in."
She closed the door behind her and perched on the edge of the table he was writing on. "I, um, wanted to ask you a question..."
"Go ahead."
"Did you know who I was when I came to you, a year and a half ago? Is that why you took me into your service?"
Akechi nodded. "I did. I knew your mother and father both, as a matter of fact."
Reiko blinked at him, then tilted her head. "Both? You knew my mother? I suppose, since the Demonbane's a Clan Lord, you would have known him. I don't look a thing like him, really, I must take more after my mother. When did you meet her?"
"When I was searching for Skyhome, I met your mother on the way. She knew she had a living daughter, and was able to track you through all of your name changes."
"So she knew I was calling myself Han Reiko, and I'll bet she told you to keep an eye out for me."
"She did, at that. And your father, well, he is a clan leader. It's amazing what you can pick up from simple hints, especially when the one who is hinting has had too much sake. We attended several clan meetings together, several years ago."
"He seems a bit...bitter, still. At least, in retrospect. The only time I met him, I didn't know how he was related to me. Other than the fact that he was the cause for a very unpleasant episode of my life."
She was fidgeting with her hair, twisting it in her hands. Akechi could see, inside her loose kimono sleeve, a flash of white. He didn't ask, knowing the question would only upset her. "He is still bitter, Reiko. He blames himself for who you are and what you have done. He believes strongly in honor, and to him your life is quite dishonorable. He is trying to atone for the sins of the daughter, so to speak."
She hissed, hand clenched around a lock of her hair. "Twist the knife some more, why don't you? I know. Trust me, I know." She blinked, and swallowed, and looked down. "I'm sorry. I forgot myself. But I've been acting according to my nature, according to my ideas of what's correct. And yet, he does not kill me. He's had any number of chances, and still I breathe."
"He can't, Reiko. You're his daughter, and he still loves you, in a strange way. If he kills you, he dies and with him any chance for your redemption."
At the word redemption, Reiko's hand dropped to her right forearm, rubbing the silk sleeve that covered it as if it hurt her. "I don't think there's redemption for one such as myself, Akechi. I am what I am. I'm always going to have to feed on humans. I'm always going to have to kill them, if only to defend myself. But now, I'm too human. I've loved too much. The Demonbane has caught me as surely as he did in Akita, centuries ago."
"He hoped to make you more human. In a strange way, I believe he did. You're never going to be able to go back to being just a kitsune. For you, Reiko, there is only the future. Future as a kitsune who never kills...or other possibilities."
She was still rubbing her forearm. "It's a painful thing indeed, this contemplating the loss of all I once was. Death would be easier, and it would certainly be quicker. I don't think my father's going to be happy with anything short of my own death. By my hand, if possible. Even if it means his own. I think he has overestimated my courage."
"He might have overestimated your courage, but I think he is counting on your resourcefulness."
"He leaves me in this trap long enough, I may find a way out of it, indeed." Her face was thoughtful, hand still fretting at her sleeve.
Akechi sighed and reached out to her, catching her left hand and pulling it away from her forearm. "If you don't leave it alone, it'll never heal."
She colored, and whispered, "How did you know?"
"I have my ways, Reiko. I can't forbid you from doing it, but I think it may not be the best use of your time." He looked at her sternly. "Your father, I think, is counting on your 'wildfire born of frustration', as he liked to call you."
She sat stock still. "He sounds almost as if he...holds me in some affection. And yet that makes no sense, Akechi."
He shrugged. "He is your father. He cannot help having some feelings for you."
"And yet he bound me and left me to starve. Left me to be tortured." Her shrug was quick and bitter. "Humans. I may be close to being one of you, but there are some things I don't think I'll ever understand."
"Anger's a primal thing. You killed his only son, and it was only later that he learned that Setto asked you to."
"And I'd like to know how he figured that out. I cut Setto's head from his body and set alight the house in which he died. I suppose he was watching me, even then. No matter, I guess. I had one more curiosity, actually. What does my mother look like? I don't remember." The question was asked in a deceptively casual tone, but Akechi could see the bright spark in her yellow eyes.
"Much like you, actually. Small in stature, same eyes, long black hair. Like you, she has a very great sadness about her. Anyone who knew her would know you immediately as her daughter."
"I can imagine. If the stories Lin told were true, then she's known her share of heartbreak." She sighed. "I wish we'd been able to free the kitsune when we were in Tokyo. But getting you out was our priority."
"I never did find out where the kitsune are being held. But I did see Lin, though." He watched as she flinched at the name, reaction seen fleetingly and swiftly hidden. As he'd suspected, it was still an open wound with her.
She said, slowly, "How is she doing? Other than, well, helping Arenro with his plots, and probably planning my death, now that she's rid of me? I'm still angry with her, stubborn girl."
Akechi shook his head. "I don't think that life with Arenro was all she wanted it to be. She looked a bit tired and a bit bruised."
"Oh! That's right, she and Arenro had some sort of relationship before she died, didn't they? And...oh. He just got married. To someone else. Interesting. Bruised physically, or in spirit?"
"Both." He was watching her very closely now, watching all manner of emotion flicker across her face. She had never been as guarded with him as she thought she had been, and now, when she knew they were closer to being equals, she was only bothering with the least amount of control that custom demanded.
"I wonder what he did to her? Not that she probably doesn't deserve whatever happens to her, after she bound all of my spirits and spent centuries keeping me ignorant of what I was, causing me to kill more than I would have otherwise. But...she's still my granddaughter."
He chuckled, softly. "So you do understand the feelings of your father for you. It's the same for you and Lin. Kitsune, you are far more human than you think."
For a moment, she looked deeply disconcerted. "Damn! Fairly caught there, Akechi. I suppose I understand better than I thought. I suppose that Lin and I will have to have it out sometime. She may kill me, but perhaps I'll die knowing what, exactly, I did to make her hate me so when she was alive."
"You will probably have to have it out with both your father and Lin. But when you are ready for those steps, you will have your friends with you, to help and guide you. Something Lin won't have." He saw the words strike home, and he saw her blink rapidly, keeping back tears.
"I refuse to feel sorry for the girl. She has, after all, made her own bed. But we'll see." She sighed, and then brightened. "Oh! I was going to ask. What's up with Arenro marrying Minaku? Did you hear anything about that before it happened?"
"Little. Arenro needs control of the Black Hand badly. He needed to install someone he could manipulate into the clan. Minaku was the perfect choice."
"Ooooh, I bet he's pissed right about now. We messed up his plans, but good. If he weren't so scary, I'd do a little victory dance. However, best not to tempt fate."
"Probably best not to tempt that fate, when so many are finding you anyway."
Reiko gave him an odd look. "Funny how it happens that we have a pair of Clan Lords with us, and another tied to us by blood. And a hengeyokai that all the other hengeyokai are suspiciously quick to help."
He didn't bother to hide his small smile. "Life works very strangely sometimes. And sometimes you have to give it a hand."
"Like I imagine you did. Picking us out and throwing us all together...."
"That's the odd thing, actually. You all came to me. The spirit showed me your potential, and I did what I could to encourage it."
She smiled wryly. "Fate's a funny thing like that. Unfortunately, Fate also only usually sets things up. We have to complete it on our own. We'll see if we can. The Scorpion's the weak link, and not just because he's an arrogant bastard."
He chuckled, deep in his chest. He'd wondered when she'd work her way around to Funitsu. "Give him time. In less than a month, he has married, taken over the Black Hand, and yesterday was given his whole Clan leadership. It's been a trying month. He has been given a lot to think about. And he may fold, but he may surprise even you, Han Reiko, daughter of Takumi Yamashita and Amaterasu."
She frowned. "I wonder if he--wait. Did you just say my mother is...a goddess? Or is that just a coincidence of names?"
He shook his head. "She was named after her, near as I know."
"Oh, good. I've heard that half-deities have pretty rough lives."
"You're right. Some have very rough ones, indeed."
"I've heard stories...but no matter." She shifted into a more comfortable position on the edge of his table. "I hope the Scorpion surprises us, then. He might rise to the occasion."
"He might, depending on who helps and who hinders him. Eh, Reiko?" He fixed her with a stern look, and she had the grace to immediately look abashed. But her chin also went out, stubbornly.
"It's not my fault he's an irritating twit." She made a wry face at him, and looked at the floor. "I suppose that's code for 'be helpful, kitsune, instead of planning to make him trip over himself and thus learn the error of his ways.' It doesn't help that he always sees the demon in me first, rather than the person. I was nearly killed by people who saw me the same way."
His voice was oddly gentle. "Actually, it's code for 'stop seeing the demon in him', Reiko." He paused, and she looked at him, puzzled. "And admit that you have feelings for him, more than the usual."
Reiko's cheeks burned, and she suddenly seemed to find the floor very, very interesting. Without looking up, she said in a voice that had just the slightest touch of sulkiness in it, "Even if I did, and I'm not admitting that I do, he belongs to Tomika, not me. It's really best that I just not think about it. If I did, which I don't."
Akechi was relentless. "You forget yourself, Reiko. A part of me resides in you. Even if you hide from the truth, it doesn't make it go away."
"That's very, very irritating, you know." She sighed and lifted her eyes to meet his, blush still burning on her cheeks. "I have been very carefully not thinking about that. He doesn't like me, not even a little bit. And I can't do anything about it, so why dwell on it?"
"It's not so unusual for a Lord to have several wives. Besides, marriage vows have never stopped you before, have they?"
"You and Setto are conspiring, aren't you? Both of you trying to marry me off. Besides, if I'm reading Tomika right, she's discovered a certain affection for Funitsu. Never, ever get between the lady who can shoot lightning bolts and what she wants, is what I always say."
He chuckled to himself. You'll see, little one. You'll see. But he let the subject lie. "I see your wisdom is returning along with your memories. Tell me, soothsayer, what do you see of the future now?"
Her eyes went distant. "Nothing's certain. The three spirits--of which you're one--really need to quit this endless war you're fighting. If we can find a way to do that, then we may be able to put things right. If not, if Arenro wins, the world becomes a living Hell and none of us will survive to see it. If we win, Japan will still tear itself apart from the inside, starting with the clan system and ending, likely, with the land itself sundering. Not much there but blood and death and fire, I'm afraid."
It was what he'd expected to hear. Not what he wanted, but what he expected. "We have our work cut out for us, then. Time to find a different path."
"I certainly hope so. I wish I could say I have a better idea, but I don't. Not yet, anyway. I'm still working on it."
"I wouldn't say you are doing too badly, at least on the clan front. You do have two clan lords with you, your father is one and another who you have helped before, who will help you. that gives you the advantage of clans, four of seven."
"And we may be able to get the Lions, since you're nominally one of them, if not a Clan Leader. For some reason, though, I'm uneasy. I smell a trap and I don't know yet where it's waiting."
He leaned back in his gaijin-style chair, mindful of the rocking of the boat. "Which one?"
"You mean there's more than one? Well, that would certainly explain the fact that I can barely sleep these days. Well, maybe that's Zhane's fault, but. The entire clan system smells like bait. Tasty bait, possibly necessary bait. And then, closer to home, there's Ito, and it frustrates me that I don't know whose bait he is."
He shook his head at the kitsune. "Doesn't take much more than looking into a crystal ball for one's own reflection to see who and what he is after."
Her hand was back playing with a lock of her hair again, twisting it around her fingers. "Me? But why send a kitsune after a kitsune? They must have known I'd be wary--but they also would know that I'd feel obligated to take him with us."
He shrugged. "So it would seem. I doubt he even knows."
"He seems to know very little, does Ito. I think the Black Hand would call him a 'sleeper'. I do need to get Panda to look at him with that orb of hers."
"Wise choice." Akechi nodded, approvingly. It did seem that with her memories, more of her wisdom was returning. The Reiko he had known three months ago wouldn't have thought of that till it was far too late.
"We may be able to disarm him. If not...I'm not sure. Honestly, he is far too valuable. He's one of our best hopes for rebuilding our population, if he's fertile. After what my father's done to us..."
"Yes, he is at that. A kitsune male can impregnate a great number of women in a year. A kitsune female is pretty much stuck to one a year, barring twins and so forth."
"Less than that, actually. We usually have great trouble conceiving. And there are less than twenty of us left in the world at the moment. We're a dying race. Damn my father and his vengeance, anyway. I can't just kill Ito out of hand. The others might, but I can't." She shifted again, restlessly.
"You know, before this all happened, I used to like puzzles. I now think that they should be banned from Japan. But this is another puzzle for you to unravel."
"It's like we're playing a giant game of Go, only with real people and armies as pieces."
He chuckled again, without mirth. "And I'm by no means a master of the game. Yukiko's better than I am. But Haku's a master of the game, I hear."
"He beats the pants off of me every time we play, at any rate." Her smile actually managed to reach her eyes, this time. "Perhaps I should start paying better attention to his strategy."
"Might be wise. Anything else you wanted to discuss, Reiko?"
"I think you've given me enough to think about for one day. Keep yourself safe over there in Kyoto. I'm sure we'll be by to visit, especially after the baby's born. I refuse to leave this world before I get to say hello to my grandson. Um. And my nephew. This whole family relationship is very confusing, you know."
"Of course. Let me know how things turn out."
Reiko gave him her infectious grin. "Yukiko's made both Tomika and I promise to write her regularly. She seems to be fretting at being left out of things."
It was his turn to give her a wry smile. "Always the curious one, she is."
"She is quite the Lady, all right. Take care of her. I've grown quite fond of my sister, Akechi."
Akechi nodded. "Yes, I'm sure you have. And she of you."
Reiko slid off the table, landing on the ground with a small thump. "Even if she doesn't admit it much, I think she has. I believe I'll take my leave of you, then. I have things to do before I sleep. I'll see you later, Lord." Her eyes were filled with a mischievous sparkle. "Grandson."
And before he could respond, she was through the door and down the corridor, footsteps fading into the creak and mutter of the sailing ship.