The garden below blossomed, the tranquility of the approaching evening at odds with Airi's words. In the distance, a flock of birds took flight, their silhouettes dark against the deepening sky. Haru stood silently, processing his sister's words. The cool air sharpened his senses, making him acutely aware of what she'd meant. As the sun dipped lower, forming long shadows across the balcony, he realized that the peace of this autumn evening was merely a facade. Beneath the surface, currents of secrets and power threatened to upend everything they held dear.
Airi shuffled through her kimono, pulling out a cigarette. "These qualities are stained into his very being. Always silent, but never gone."
Haru wrinkled his face in annoyance and disapproval, "Sister, I thought you'd quit?"
She cut her eyes to Haru, a hint of defiance in her gaze as she leaned towards him, silently instructing him to light it. "I'm stressed, I got a lot on my mind, Haru!"
With a sigh of resignation, Haru extended his index finger. A small flame flickered to life at its tip, dancing in the gentle evening breeze. He moved his hand towards Airi, lighting the cigarette for her. The brief flare of light illuminated their faces, highlighting the tension and unspoken words between them.
Airi inhaled deeply, pulling away from Haru's flame. She held the smoke for a moment before slowly exhaling upwards. The smoke curled and twisted as it dissipated into the air. The rhythmic dance of the smoke mesmerized Haru, triggering a cascade of memories.
He was back on battlefields, the air thick with the scent of blood and smoke. He saw Kaito, Airi, and himself, younger but no less fierce, engaged in brutal combat. The images flashed rapidly: swords clashing, elemental powers unleashed, bodies falling. But what stood out most vividly was Kaito's smile - a cold, satisfied grin as he stepped over fallen enemies, casually claiming their possessions as spoils of war.
The memory was so lucid, so visceral, that Haru felt his breath catch in his throat. A worrisome expression crossed his face, the horrors of the past threatening to bury him in the present.
Noticing the change in Haru's demeanor, Airi wistfully smiled, reaching out and slapping the back of his head. The sudden contact jolted Haru out of his reverie, bringing him back to the present moment on the balcony.
"Don't get me wrong, little brother," Airi uttered, her voice softer with vulnerability showing through her usual strength. "I love my son and my family, but above all, I love this clan."
Haru rubbed the back of his head, more out of habit than any real discomfort from her slap. As the last rays of sunlight painted the sky in brilliant hues of orange and purple, Airi took another drag of her cigarette. Inhaling deeply as her gaze drifted to the coming sunset, seemingly lost in her own world. She exhaled, the smoke crimped upwards, her words so quiet Haru strained to hear them. "When we had nothing, only the members of this clan accepted us. They took us in, sheltered us, and forgave my rampage. I have a huge debt to pay."
She walked over to a wooden rocking chair nestled next to a small handmade table on the balcony. A gift from the Elders when Airi was pregnant with Yasushi, the hand-crafted chair, forged from the rarest woods and metals, fluoresced in the fading light. The polished wood inlaid with subtle notes of blue shimmered as Airi approached.
Over the years, it had become more than furniture – a repository of memories. It was in this chair that Airi had comforted Kaname through her infancy and toddler years.
Airi settled into the familiar embrace of the chair, her fingers absently tracing the carvings on the arm. Kaname, in her younger years, had etched small drawings into the wood – childish scribbles that Airi cherished. She often found herself resting her arm on these carvings for so long that they would temporarily imprint on her skin, a physical connection to Kaname Airi treasured.
The side table next to the rocking chair matched its design perfectly, its surface inlaid with radiant glass in different shades of blue. Together, the chair and table formed a small oasis of calm in the midst of the growing storm.
As she began to rock gently, she turned to Haru. The fading sunlight caught the blue inlays of the chair and table, diffusing delicate patterns across the balcony floor. "Litte brother... please inform my husband I'm under the weather and will be remaining here, in my chambers."
Caught off guard by the sudden shift in conversation, Haru took a step forward, his hand outstretched, his face a mask of disbelief and concern. "But Airi! Don't you care about the children! Zei has them!"
Airi leaned to the side, exhaling a stream of smoke, unconcerned by Haru's urgent tone. "I'm aware who has my children, Haru." Her voice calm with an undercurrent of solace. "And to be frank, I'm relieved Zei was the one who picked up the job."
The rocking chair creaked softly as Airi continued her gentle motion, bringing the cigarette closer to her mouth, gazing upon the conflicted Haru. "He may be a brute nowadays, hell even a murderer and thief…but he's no child lover."
Haru stood there, caught between the serene beauty of the scene and the unsettling nature of Airi's statement.
Her gaze drifted back towards the garden, the setting sun giving way to nightfall. The moonlight bathed the landscape in a soft, velvety glow, causing the nocturnal flowers to unfurl their delicate petals. "I'm sure he's going to take a liking to Kaname and Yasushi."
Haru tightened his fists, his voice taunted with concern. "What about Etsuyo? She's with them as well!"
Airi stopped rocking the chair abruptly. "Don't be foolish, Haru." She then took the cigarette out of her mouth, flicking away the ash as she exhaled a stream of smoke in the newly transitioned night air. "By now, Etsuyo is likely dead. Let's just pray she died with her honor intact."
"But—" Haru shouted, taking a step in front of her chair.
"HARU!" Airi shouted, slicing through the air, laced with aggravation as she violently motioned her cigarette down towards the ashtray on the side table, shattering the glass. Shards of blue-tinted pieces scattered across the balcony floor, glittering in the moonlight like fallen stars.
"These are times of war! Conflict is brewing and seeping into the hearts of the other realm leaders. Death is inevitable. Mercy is a fucking joke!" Her voice rose, filled with a mixture of anger and resignation. "I have more pressing matters to deal with than to worry about the children!"
The moonlight flowers began to bloom, trembling in the wake of Airi's outburst. Haru stood frozen, his earlier protest dying on his lips. The shards of glass at his feet reflected fractured images of the night sky, a fitting metaphor for how their world was splintering around them.
As the last echoes of Airi's outburst faded into the night, a tense silence fell over the balcony. She stood up from the rocking chair, taking a moment to compose herself. "Please stop overreacting and just play along." The moonlight emphasized the weariness in her eyes. "Kaname won't let anything drastic happen to Yasushi. She doesn't have a choice."
Haru looked at his sister, feeling a knot twisting in his stomach. The calm certainty in Airi's voice was more unnerving than her earlier outburst. "Airi…" he began, meeting her eyes, "What did you do?"
Airi scoffed, kneeling down, her eyes fixed on her reflection in the shattered glass fragments scattered across the balcony floor. "I told you already Haru... I love my family, but what I owe the members of this clan exceeds more than that love, ...so I made a compromise."
"I don't understand you, sister. What compromise?" Haru's voice was tight with irritation and growing concern.
Airi waved her hand casually to the side emitting a wave of black energy from her fingertips, enveloping the broken glass and the remnants of the side table. In a matter of seconds, the debris dissolved into nothingness, leaving the balcony floor clean and unmarred.
"Don't worry about it, Haru," Airi replied, a hint of sadness noted in her voice. "It's not something you could ever understand." She sighed, a sound heavy with untold burdens. "When the time comes, Kaname will know what to do. She's capable of handling this on her own."
Haru narrowed his eyes, concern etched on his face. "And how do you know this?"
Airi looked up at her brother, her eyes closed, grinning. "Simple, I've been giving her extra lesson myself in secret," her voice carrying a note of finality. She turned back to the balcony, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "Practice makes perfect," Airi murmured, as if tasting the word. "Have a little more faith in our Kaname. She's the only one that can save this clan."
Fully understanding his sister's capabilities, Haru remained silent accepting the depths of intrigue and danger he'd not yet fathomed.
She stood up and settled back into her rocking chair, the wood creaking softly under her weight. "It's time for you to leave, Haru. You're disturbing my meditation."
An odd unease flowed from his sister, shifting an unwelcoming feeling within him. Deciding not to push her patience any further, Haru slightly nodded. "Understood," offering a small bow before turning to leave.
As he reached the entryway, Airi's voice stopped him. "Oh, and little brother?" she called out as the stars twinkled overhead, indifferent to the consternation below,
Haru paused, remaining silent, waiting for Airi to continue.
"Swear to me..." Airi's voice was soft but intense, "No matter what happens, you'll always look out for Kaname..."
Without turning back, he nodded once, then walked out of the chambers, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
Inside the room, Airi smiled, pulling another cigarette from her kimono along with a lighter. The flame flickered briefly in the darkness as she lit the cigarette, taking a deep inhale. As she exhaled, she tilted her head to the side. She placed her arm on Kaname's cravings, her eyes searching the star-studded sky above. A gentle melody began to hum from her lips. The rocking chair creaked rhythmically as Airi swayed, smoke dancing around her in diaphanous patterns.
Outside in the hallway, her faint humming filtered through the door. With a final glance at the closed door, Haru straightened up, squaring his shoulders, and set off down the hallway back to the War room.
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