you throw imanotsurugi to the ground, roaring, "Do you have any idea how much trouble your resemblance to Lord Yoshitsune is causing me?"

"I'm sorry!" he answers dutifully, rising to his knees.

"Now that it's come to this," you snarl, raising the staff above your head, "I have no choice!"

he flinches, ready to receive the blow - but it never comes. you stop before it can connect, frozen in place, until finally, he drops character to look at you questioningly. you step back, mortified.

"I can't do it. I can't hit you," you tell him flatly, turning away. hurting your precious friend, your partner... how could you ever bring yourself to do that? it's one of the toughest battles you've ever faced.

"Iwatooshi! This is our rehearsal of the 'The Subscription List'!"

"Still, I can't do what I can't do," you insist, settling down with the staff at your side. he keeps badgering you about it to convince you to try again. that is, until a pair of new faces come to greet you both - the new touken danshi you were told about, surely. imanotsurugi lights up, happily introducing himself to the newcomers. you ignore them, until a name catches your attention, heart sinking.

"I am Higekiri."

no, it couldn't be. but the other confirms your fears: "I'm Hizamaru."

so this is what kogitsunemaru tried to warn you about - the treasured swords of genji brothers, yoritomo and yoshitsune. there's no world where you wouldn't recognize those names, those crests. but these swords... you've never met them before today.

as imanotsurugi greets them properly, you finally rise to your feet to face them yourself, though you can't bring yourself to smile as you normally would.

"Higekiri-sama and Hizamaru-sama, right? My name is Iwatooshi."

"It's nice to meet you, Iwatooshi," Higekiri says, stepping forward. you avert your eyes and tuck the staff under your arm to leave.

"Well, excuse us. Let's go, Imanotsurugi."

and you walk away without another word. it's very rude, you're well aware, but this isn't something you're prepared to face right now. it's best to leave it, gather your thoughts, and approach it again later. it's safer that way, for imanotsurugi.