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What is love?
It was a beautiful day and Isanami decided to sit outside and watch Saizo as he trained with Sasuke. She couldn't take her eyes off of Saizo as he moved with extreme agility and blocked Sasuke's kunais. She was so focused on Saizo she almost got hit by Kamanosuke who charged in outside at the moment and decided it was wise to interrupt the other two's training, because "he was the one Saizo should be fighting" as he put it.
Sasuke sighed and stepped aside, next to Isanami, since Saizo was now busy with calming down the "lunatic", as he mumbled. "This guy is too much", he said to his weasel, Amaharu, "He is acting more like he is in love with Saizo…"
Isanami looked at Sasuke surprised. How could a person that always challenged you to battle be in love with you? That was something she couldn't understand. Yet again, when she first came to Ueda castle, she had mistaken the relationship between Saizo and Anastasia as a romantic one and she had been jealous. So there were other ways of showing someone you were in love with them? Was Isanami showing Saizo her love the right way? Another thought came to her and she felt even more confused. Was she in love with Saizo? Or did she just care for him a lot? And even more importantly; what did Saizo think of her? She knew, despite her innocence that Saizo was probably not a virgin and that he had been with women before, so what if he had been in love with one of them? What if Saizo didn't love her the same way? But then again… Did she love him like that? She had returned to the same train of thought. But now she knew what she was looking for. "What is love?"
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She decided that the first people to ask should be the older ones. They probably had more experience and they could answer her question with more mature answers. So she went to ask Yukimura first. She was lucky to find Rokuro with him, whom she would have asked later on, but why waste time? They were having tea and it didn't seem like they were busy, "Lord Yukimura? Rokuro-san?"
Yukimura turned at her with a smile. Rokuro nodded at her. "Hello, Isanami. How can I help you? Or do you just seek company?"
"Actually, there is a question I want to ask. I need answers from both of you, so that I can be sure I know everything about that subject."
Yukimura and Rokura stared at each other for a moment, a little confused by the sudden request. "Sure, go ahead.", said Yukimura in the end.
"What is love?"
Rokuro spilled some of the tea he was about to pour to his lord and Yukimura stared at the girl a little dumbfounded. "Is that your question?"
Isanami nodded. "I need to know! So I can be sure about my own feelings for Saizo."
"Oh, that explains it.", said Yukimura while taking a drag from his pipe. "So you want us to tell you how we would explain love, right?"
Isanami nodded again and stared at them expectantly. Yukimura sighed and decided to start. "Well love is…" Yukimura seemed so deep in thought that even Rokuro was staring at him expectantly with the teapot in his hand. "Love for me is… Rokuro.", said Yukimura with a huge grin.
Rokuro dropped the teapot and it was the first time Isanami saw the usually stoic man so flustered. The problem was that this answer didn't explain what love is to Isanami. "Huh? I don't understand…"
"Lord Yukimura!", shouted Rokuro, obviously furious. Yukimura was laughing, making him even angrier. "What a ridiculous thing to say!" Then Rokuro's eye fell on Isanami, who seemed even more confused. Rokuro sighed and turned to Isanami. "Ignore our lord, Isanami-san. I will explain to you what love really is…" At that last part a glare was delivered to Yukimura who was still laughing. "Love is… when you want to do everything for the other person, no matter the price. It is unconditional. You truly care for their wellbeing and you will do anything for them to be happy, even if that makes you sad."
Isanami smiled brightly. "I see! That's a nice explanation, Rokuro-san. I'll go ask the others to see if they can give me different definitions than can express this feeling."
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea…", said Rokuro, but Isanami was already at the door.
Before she left, though, she turned to look at Rokuro skeptically. "Isn't your definition also describing your relationship with lord Yukimura?"
Rokuro gasped and Yukimura started laughing again. There was a little bit of red in Rokuro's pale cheeks now as well. "Maybe you should ask the others, after all…"
"Ok!", and with that she left, leaving Rokuro to handle their laughing lord.
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Next on her list was Juzo Kakei, since he was also much older than her. He also seemed very wise, so maybe Isanami would get a better answer. She had already decided not to ask Benmaru (now named Daisuke), since he was younger than all of them and there was no way a child could know the answer.
She found Kakei sitting on his porch and cleaning his gun, Saya. "Hello, Kakei-san", she greeted.
Kakei glanced at her and stopped cleaning Saya. "Hello, Isanami-san."
"Kakei-san, I need your help with something."
"Ok." Kakei looked at her a little confused. Usually Isanami would ask Saizo to help her or maybe her "brother".
"I've been wondering… What is love?"
Kakei looked at her bewildered. "What are you talking about?"
"Everyone expresses and defines love in a different way, from what I have seen, so I want people's opinion about it."
Kakei sighed. "I see. That seems like something you would ask."
"What was that supposed to mean?"
Kakei ignored her last question and proceeded to answer her first. "Love is… when you care about someone or something a lot. You will do your best to take care of them." With that, he held Saya closer to him.
Isanami smiled. "That's another good definition. Thank you, Kakei-san!"
Before Kakei could say anything else, Isanami had already left in search for her next answer. "Young people these days sure are in a hurry. I guess that's one of the reasons they don't know the meaning of love, since they need to take their time to figure it out."
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Next on the list was her adoptive brother, Miyoshi. She found him meditating under a waterfall. He immediately stopped when he saw Isanami approaching him and smiled brightly at her. "Isanami!"
"Hello, Onee-chan! Got a minute?"
"Of course!"
"I've been asking everyone their definition of love, so what is love in your opinion?"
Unlike the others, who questioned her, Miyoshi decided to answer immediately since that would please his sister. "That's easy! Love is… something that the Buddha offers us!"
"So, you are saying that love is something offered by the gods, right?"
"Exactly!"
Isanami decided she was satisfied with his answer and left him to continue his training.
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She found Anastasia along with Jinpachi sitting outside Ueda castle and discussing about something. She waved at them and they nodded in acknowledgement. "Ana! Jinpachi-san!"
They waited for her to approach them, before either of them spoke. "Is something the matter, Isanami? You look like you had been looking for us", said Anastasia.
"Well, I wanted to ask you something. Both of you." They both nodded so that she could continue. "I've been asking everyone what is the definition of love for them. It is so I can see all of its different forms. So, what is love for you?"
"That's an interesting question.", said Jinpachi, finally speaking. "Love is freedom. And its form is a blond curvy woman with blue eyes." At that he winked at Anastasia.
Anastasia rolled her eyes. "Ignore him. Love to me is the feeling of belonging somewhere." Her eyes had a nostalgic look. "But it is very hard to find such a place."
"I disagree.", said Jinpachi. "You have the freedom to choose where you belong therefore love is freedom."
"You wouldn't understand.", replied Anastasia annoyed.
"You are the one who doesn't understand.", said Jinpachi. He had a playful smile on his face.
They continued their argument, forgetting that Isanami was also there. "That's a contradiction… Interesting. One thinks that love is freedom while the other thinks it chains you to a specific place. This is getting better by the minute! I have to find the rest of the guys and hear everyone's opinion. See you!" With that Isanami left. Jinpachi and Anastasia didn't seem to notice her departure and they continued their argument.
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The next one on the list was the person that had made her think about the whole thing, Sarutobi Sasuke. She found him taking care of his owls in the forest. "Hello, Sasuke!"
Sasuke turned to look at her and waved shyly. His face had turned completely red. "I need to ask you something, if that's ok with you.", said Isanami. Sasuke nodded and relaxed a little. "Well, in your opinion, what is the definition of love?"
Sasuke turned redder than before and gaped at Isanami. "W-W-W-"
"I know it seems a little sudden, but I am curious as to how everyone defines love, so I can realize my own feelings better.", explained Isanami.
Sasuke sighed and looked away, obviously embarrassed. "I'll answer. Just give me a minute." Isanami did as she was told and allowed the flustered boy to relax. Finally, Sasuke looked at his feet and gave his answer, turning even redder as he spoke. "Love is… fighting with the people or animals in my case that you care about and…" Sasuke took a glimpse of Isanami's expression and decided that he couldn't take no more. He jumped away, leaving the girl alone.
"What's wrong with him? He always gets flustered very easily… Anyway, I kind of got an answer, so let's go find the next one.
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Next on the list was one of the two braves that Isanami wished to talk to the least, Yuri Kamanosuke. She was really curious about the definition he would give her, though, so she searched for him with renewed vigor. She found Kamanosuke where she had left him this morning, lying down and staring at the sky. Probably his fight with Saizo had ended and he was now resting. Isanami approached him slowly. "Hey…"
Kamanosuke didn't move but growled in annoyance. "What do you want, bitch?"
Isanami huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms. "For your information, I need to ask you something."
Kamanosuke raised an eyebrow and glanced briefly at her. "What could you possibly want from me?"
"I've been wondering ever since this morning that Sasuke mentioned something, how people define love. So in your opinion, what is love?"
Kamanosuke turned fully at her with a frown on his face. "What the hell?"
"Just answer my question and I'll leave you alone.", said Isanami, pouting.
Kamanosuke sighed and thought about it for a second. He was exhausted from his earlier fight and he didn't feel like attacking the girl, so he thought about the question a little too seriously if he had to admit it. "Love is… killing people."
Isanami gaped at him. "Huh?"
"Honestly, what did you expect from me?"
"Ok… but do you love something so that you can give me a better explanation?"
"Tsk… Fine! I love killing annoying people, like you and see them covered in blood. There, happy? The only thing greater than this is finding people with the same belief as you, like Saizo… I wish he kills me at some point or I'll kill him first."
"So, you love… Saizo?"
"Is that what you heard?!", he asked annoyed. He made an attempt to grab his sickle, but Isanami had already taken off. "What an annoying brat! And I couldn't care less about love and… Saizo…" He stopped for a moment and remembered some previous incidents. He felt heat creep into his face. "I hope she doesn't say anything stupid to anyone…"
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Last on her list before she would go find Saizo and ask him about his feelings, was Hattori Hanzo, the newest brave. Isanami wished she didn't have to ask him as well (not that anyone forced her to), but she guessed that since he was also older and a good looking man, if she had to be honest, he probably knew more about love than her. She found Hanzo training in the forest. He stopped when she approached and gave her a side glance. "Hanzo-san?"
"Do you need something, goddess of death?"
Isanami flinched at his words but she was determined to get her answer, so she recovered quickly. "I've been running around Ueda castle and asking everyone the same question and since you are a brave now… I want your answer as well."
Hanzo raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. "Go ahead."
"Ever since a specific event this morning, I've been wondering what exactly is love and I've been asking everyone the definition they believe is the best, so what is love?"
Hanzo chuckled. "Such a silly question and it is made to the worst possible person. But if I had to give an answer… I would say that for me love is physical."
Isanami felt her face heating up. "What do you mean…?"
"Does it really need an explanation? Though, since you are a priestess, I guess you are a virgin-"
"Ok! I got it!", Isanami made a U-turn. Her face was the color of a tomato. "Thanks for your help, Hanzo-san…"With that, she left.
Hanzo chuckled. "I can't believe this girl could kill us all if she wanted to."
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After Isanami calmed down, she went to find Saizo. She found him in his room, bandaging a scratch he had probably gotten from training. "Saizo?"
He looked at her surprised and smiled softly at her. "Hey. I didn't see you all morning. It actually got me kinda worried."
"I was with everyone else, you see I wanted to ask them about something."
"Really? What did you want to ask them."
Isanami seemed to hesitate and that surprised Saizo. In the end she looked at him with determination and spoke. "This morning Sasuke said something about Yuri being in love with you and that this was the reason he challenged you to fights. So I started wondering, what exactly is love and how can it be expressed so differently. That's why I decided to ask everyone how they define love."
Saizo gaped at her for a moment. "Yuri being in love with me…? That's ridiculous! And more importantly… You asked the people in this castle about love?!"
"Yeah. Their answers were pretty good actually. For example… Well Lord Yukimura said that love is Rokuro-san (Saizo: What did he say?!), Rokuro-san said that love is when you do everything for your loved ones, unconditionally, Kakei-san said that love is when you take care of someone (Saizo: They said pretty much the same then… Though these are good answers.), Onee-chan said that love is offered to us by the Gods (Saizo: That was to be expected…), Jinpachi-san said that love is freedom, while Ana said that love is the feeling of belonging (Saizo: Also expected…), Sasuke said that love is fighting together (Saizo:… Ok?), Yuri said something about blood and you (Saizo: Why did you ask him of all people?!) and Hanzo-san is a pervert apparently. (Saizo: Why did you ask him?! Even Yuri is a better choice!). So now, I want to know what you think about love. That way…", Isanami blushed, "I'll know what you really think about me…"
Saizo stared at her surprised. He finally realized what this was all about. "You are an idiot…"
"Huh?! Why?!"
"Why didn't you ask only me? Isn't my opinion the one that matters the most?"
"Yeah, but… It seemed like a fun way to learn things…" She pouted and sat at the porch.
Saizo sat next to her. Without looking at her, he held her hand, surprising the girl. "Love is the balance we have between us. Darkness and light… You shouldn't doubt it, you idiot."
Isanami smiled at him. "Well, I agree with you."
"Good. Though Rokuro-san's and Kakei-san's answers should have already given you enough information."
"They did… But I wanted to listen to what everyone had to say."
"You're too troublesome." Isanami was certain now. She was experiencing a form of love with Saizo. It was their definition of love.