Title: A Palace of Sakura Blossoms
Author: MidKnight
Addy: MidKnightslair@juno.com
Website: https://www.angelfire.com/realm2/midknight
Summary: Nathan muses in the afterlife.
Music: Michiko Naruke- Wild Arms Opening Theme
Author's Notes: I was going for something poetic and dreamy here, and in case it got vague and you missed the dropped hints, yes, they're all dead. In death, they all have different names. Katsumoto is now the Blade in An Ashen Sheath, Nathan Algren is now the Tiger is the Crimson Armor, and the guy who's name I can't remember is the Dragon with the Jade Scales. He was the guy with the green and gold armor in the final battle.
A Palace of Sakura Blossoms
They live in a palace now, or so he likes to think. It seems enough like heaven for the both of them.
Their house is on a hill, in a valley, and the only thing that disturbs their days are the occasional animals wandering by, or friends coming to visit. The sakura trees are always in bloom and their perfect blossoms build up like snow against the house until the next morning when everything is green again.
He's never quite figured out where the blossoms go.
There's a fire in the hearth that keeps the house warm and cozy, and the sun shines down on them like an endless summer day, neither too hot nor too cold. It's perfect in a truly harmonious way.
He has but to think of his lover, Blade in an Ashen Sheath to know where he is. After all, there are only so many places they go besides the house and their valley. There's a rice paddy down the hill a ways, and they tend it as best they can in hakamas tied at the knee, hands dirty with mud. And a hot spring surrounded by bamboo, the stones flat enough to sit on and soak. They rarely travel from their valley and then it's always together. Sometimes they go to visit the other warriors, hiking the miles of paths that cross the county like thoughts. Perhaps they are.
He remembers when they visited Dragon with the Jade Scales, who still wears his green and gold armor with pride. The man's hair has been growing out and is nearly down to his waist, and all the old wounds are gone. These days Dragon smiles more often than he did in life, but maybe it's the peace of the afterworld that does that to him.
Perhaps they all smile a little more.
He thinks of his lover now, imagines the shadowy eyes and shaven ebony stubble, the black yukata tied with gold. His feet take him through the house and as he goes he silently slides the rice paper doors open and shut, like some ancient mystery. He remembers it from life, of course, Taka always shutting doors til it became something like reflex to also do so. His feet take him out another door and across a porch and then he sees his lover standing in a field of white and pink.
The Blade in an Ashen Sheath seems to find peace out here under the sakura tree, which so reminds him of the ancestral home. He remembers the conversation they once had there, about poetry. Leans against a door post to study the Blade's muscled form through the night-colored yukata and robes. The man has more strength than most give him credit for, which the Tiger underestimated last night. His muscles are a little sore today with exertion but thats fine.
He finds himself smiling, absently, and finally looks up realizing the Blade has moved.
The man is staring at him with those un-fathomable eyes.
“Hai?” He asks and his lover gestures for him to come down, which he does. Crosses the garden by stepping stones laid with some obscure accuracy to please the eye and still be functional. Passes the small pond full of piebald koi who look at him lovingly, hoping for a treat, and the bamboo fountain which knocks every once in a while when it fills to the brim, before pouring itself out into the koi pond.
Stepping close to his lover he looks up into the blinding colors of the tree, feels the man's arm circle his lower back and pull him close. They stand there, his back to his lover's chest and admire the tree, feeling the blossoms fall like snow on their faces.
“Tiger in Crimson Armor, Nathan, I've written you a poem.” The man breaths in his ear.
He feels himself shiver. He never thought he'd deserve a heaven like this, he thinks, and settles back against his lover with open ears.
The End.
Glossary:
Sakura: Cherry Blossoms. Often come in pink or white.
Hakama: Traditional pants. Deeply pleated, excessively wide pants with slits at the side that tied at the front and back. Worn while practicing kendo.
Kendo: Sword practice uses wooden swords.
Hai: Yes.
Yukata: The over-robe. Ties at the waist with an obi, which is a wide cloth belt.
Koi: Large goldfish.
