memory » many bright, twinkling stars

by the time you arrive, the fight is already underway, but it's exactly the sight you were hoping not to see: the four of your comrades facing off with imanotsurugi himself. he insists, again and again that his master yoshitsune is kind, that you don't have to fight. but your team stands fast, reminding him of your duty to protect history - something he can't accept, as he raises his blade in desperation and refuses to back down for the sake of his beloved master.

you can't watch this any longer.

"Imanotsurugi! Step away." he takes a step forward in disbelief, shocked that even you would face him. little does he know how it tears you apart inside to raise your blade to him and roar, "Move!"

"I don't want this," he whispers as he stares back at you, betrayed. all he wants is to protect his master, like he couldn't do before. witnessing yoshitsune death again would break his heart. this, you understand better than anyone here, recalling the joy on his face the last time you spoke about meeting his master, a stark contrast to the tears running down his cheeks now. "I finally got to met Yoshitsune-kou again..."

but that grief seems to give him power. he raises his blade and bats your own away, recklessly attacking all of you until you can catch him, naginata at his front while you hold him fast from behind. even as the air suddenly goes stale and makes your hair stand on end, imanotsurugi struggles, insisting that he is yoshitsune's protective sword. as the stars above disappear behind dark clouds, you shift to hold him fast in your left arm, freeing your naginata for what's to come.

"My purpose is to protect him!"

with a thunderous roar, his former master appears and imanotsurugi lets out a scream, wresting himself out of your grip. you demand that he stop, but he refuses and positions himself between the five of you and yoshitsune himself, paying no attention to how corrupted his master has become. his skin turned ashy, his eyes red - even his blade holds a dangerous power not meant for humans to hold.

"If he were to die..." imanotsurugi trails off, and tries again, clutching his knife close to his chest. "I remember his kind smile. I remember his courageous figure."

how can he not see? furious at his blindness, you yell back him, "That man isn't Yoshitsune-kou anymore!"

"No, please don't! If history were to be restored..." he begs you again to stop, becuase if anyone should understand what he wants, it's you. you know how much he loves yoshitsune, how much the man's death has haunted him. you know how vividly he remembers that kind smile, those warm hands, his touch... and his blood.

he screams again, and as he scrambles to protect his master, you call out to him, one last time. because you do understand. maybe you understand better than imanotsurugi himself.

"Imanotsurugi, it's not your fault!" he stares at you in pure shock as you step forward, naginata set aside. you don't want to fight any more than he does. "You've done nothing wrong."

because he blames himself for yoshitsune's death, doesn't he? all this time, for centuries, he's carried the guilt of his master's death on his shoulders.

"I'm not telling you to forget him," you say, the anger evaporating from your heart, "but stop blaming yourself. Remember... that the sky above us brings us a gift."

"What?"

"Many bright, twinkling stars."

using his own words, you open your arms. and finally, imanotsurugi lowers his blade to step forward and wrap his arms around you, clinging to you and sobbing. you hold him as tight as you can, as you always do.

...but it doesn't last. mikazuki shouts a warning, and you have just enough time to shove imanotsurugi aside as yoshitsune strikes. your chest lights up with pain, vision going red.