Chapter Text
Sakura takes a deep breath and tightens her grip on the hilt of her katana, Sakura Blossom and settles into the ko gasumi stance, the tip of her sword pointed at the neck of an imaginary enemy standing before her in the gentle rain of petals. In a flash of steel, she slashes in a diagonal cut, from shoulder to hip, following with a horizontal slash, then another diagonal, this time from hip to opposite shoulder. She finishes with a dash forward, ending the ghost opponent and flicks her blade, sheathing it in a fluid motion against the back of her thumb.
Sakura lets out a soft exhale, relaxing from her stance and lets her eyes wander around the serene clearing. The sun sits high in the afternoon sky and a warm breeze sends the faint sweet fragrance of cherry blossoms, tickling the fur on the tip of her fox ears. It would be a perfect spring day in * Shinano , if not for the underlying truth that it’s all fake.
Maybe not fake , but more of a dream. And the reality of dreams... Well, that’s subjective, isn’t it? The sun continues to rise and set, she can feel the raindrops on her skin during a storm, and her stomach growls after skipping a meal to train all afternoon. As a soul living within this confined world built out of memories, is Sakura even real anymore?
She sighs and begins to stroll out of the clearing, letting her legs carry her back towards the shrine as her mind similarly wanders.
Things are peaceful now, but this realm used to be an endless nightmare, each cycle ending in bloodshed, heartbreak, and despair. Each repetition, an attack from the demon that shares her prison, trying to break her will and drown her in an endless ocean of hatred and vengeance – and it almost succeeded. It was a monster, one that mirrored her own monstrous desires.
Yae Sakura is not a good person.
She does not do things for the sake of good or evil , only what needs to be done ; whether that be as a sister to Rin or as the Miko of Yae village. She was not born to live freely, but to serve.
Be a good miko. Protect the village. Please the gods.
Be a good miko. Listen to your father. Offer the sacrifices.
Be a good miko. Kill the children. Spill the blood.
Where did that leave her, except with so many lives claimed by her blood-stained blade, the only mercy given that of a swift death. Her sword, meant to protect, turned on the very people she promised to save.
I hated them all. I hated him the most.
She scowls at the memories. A part of her still hates them, the wound they left too deep to heal without jagged scars. How much more destruction would she have wrought, if not for Kallen?
Strong, sweet, stubborn Kallen.
Sakura stops walking, finding herself at banks of the Shiomi River, where she first found the silver haired maiden, dying the crystal clear water red and on the verge of death. Her heart aches at the thought.
She longs to selfishly bask in that bright smile and warmth once again, to be the one in her sapphire gaze. Sakura closes her eyes, lost in the memories they shared.
Kallen’s first bite of an onigiri and the way her face lights up as if the simple rice ball is the most delicious food to ever grace her mouth.
The rustle of the grass in the warm afternoon sun, her fingers interlaced with Kallen’s as the clouds ahead drifted by.
“From now on, you’re not alone anymore! I will fight with you!!” The words that changed her life, the end of her loneliness.
Her body under Hellmaru’s will, her blade pierces Kallen’s body, but the Kaslana holds on – still fights for her. Inside, Sakura screams. She’s done too much, she’s taken more lives, and now she’s hurt the one person she holds dear. It takes all of her willpower to wrest control from the evil spirit possessing her and drive that cursed sword into her own body and end it all. This is her last act of defiance, her last-ditch effort to save her savior.
Kallen’s tears on her face as the strength and corruption flows out of her body, as everything else fades but the distraught voice of her beloved making a promise and a soft kiss planted on her head. “I’m here – I’m here, Sakura, I'll save you. Don’t give up, my love.”
She grits her teeth, holding her head. Endure. It is what she’s done all her life; for 500 years. Even if Kallen is no longer among the living, Sakura can only hope that her soul found peace. To die now, to give up, would leave her legacy in vain.
I must keep her memory alive. I must endure, for Kallen’s sake.
Theresa, the Kaslana progeny that bears a striking resemblance to Kallen and young bushi, Mei, broke her free of her endless curse. Hellmaru is gone, replaced by Higokumaru, a tiny fox girl. The likeness of her despicable father is gone, no longer haunting her, and the memory of her sister rests in peace. Now that the nightmares and battles have subsided, Sakura finds herself with too much time, spending it training (out of habit more than anything) and reminiscing about the past events.
What a strange twist of fate. My worst enemy is now my companion, she muses.
“Aneki, Aneki!” comes the familiar shrill call of Higokumaru, breaking Sakura's train of thought as the little imp flutters towards her excitedly. “Aneki, you have a visitor!” her grin seems to stretch beyond the bounds of her face.
“Ah, who is it?” Sakura pats her head in an attempt to placate her.
"I can't tell you! It's a surprise!" Higokumaru kicks her arms and legs, doing some kind of wiggling dance in the air. “Come with me!”
Her curiosity is piqued, and with nothing else better to do, Sakura follows the beckoning of her tiny companion up the stairs to the shrine as she wonders what this surprise could be.
Mei, Kiana, and Bronya would visit her from time to time, and they tell her of the happenings of the Outside World. They have this device called a computer now, and this computer contains video games where they... Jump and shoot things? Truthfully, Sakura never quite caught on to the technobabble, but the enthusiasm is encouraging. The young Kaslana even suggested bringing one such device with them next time, so that they could all play together, only to be chided by her friends. A small smile finds itself upon Sakura’s lips. She owes much to those girls.
Higokumaru giggles as they ascend the stairs of torii gates to the shrine and Sakura is almost worried it's another prank. The fox can be quite mischievous at times.
She pauses at the top of the stairs, which leads to the square in front of the shrine.
"Surprise!" Higokumaru throws her arms up, flying towards their visitor.
Before her stands a familiar girl with long silver hair and black nun attire, facing away from the duo, contemplating something.
Sakura smiles. "Theresa. It has been a while."
The young Kallen look-alike turns around and waves. "Sakura!! Long time no see!" She skips over and wraps the swordswoman in a tight hug, which Sakura gingerly reciprocates by placing one hand on her shoulder and stroking her hair with the other. "Sorry I haven't visited! Things have been crazy !"
Sakura nods. "That's alright. I appreciate the visit today. Would you like some tea? I could ask Higokumaru to fetch bitter melon from the village for you to brew."
“Bitter melon tea?!” Theresa’s eyes widen before she shakes her head. "I mean! No need, I'm actually here to deliver some great news!” She smiles, putting her hands on her hips and puffing her chest out. “So you know how this world is a separate dimension sealed in a stigma? And in order for me or anyone else to come in here we need to use a virtual comm link in order to transfer our consciousness inside? Well, except for me of course, since I, Teri Teri, am currently hosting the stigma – that’s thanks to you, by the way.”
The samurai blinks, nodding along. Theresa is sprouting nonsense, but to interrupt would be rude.
“After a lot of research, I mean a LOT of research, Einstein and Tesla - oh wait they’re after your time so you have no idea who they are...Ah, well, my super smart scientist friends were able to - ahh !" Theresa finds herself thrown to the side mid-sentence by the ex-miko, almost losing her footing and falling on her face, if not for her Valkyrie reflexes. “Hey!!”
"Stay back." Something or someone was leaping from the branch of a tree behind them. Instinctively, Sakura's hand flies to her katana and draws it as she assumes battle stance, whipping around to preemptively strike her attacker.
Only to drop her sword.
In a flash, she finds herself in the arms of the legendary Paladin, body tipped back, held up by an arm around her waist, a gloved hand under her chin and tilting her head up to hold her gaze. Awkwardly, her own arm is trapped between their bodies and she pulls it free to steady herself by resting a hand on her shoulder, staring owlishly at the blue-eyed woman. "Kallen?!"
Kallen grins, leaning closer. "Hello, my fair maiden, you're looking as lovely as the sunset over a thousand jewels," she purrs in her ear while dragging the back of her hand down her cheek in a gentle caress.
Sakura can only stare at the face she's dreamed of for hundreds of years. She's not sure what emotion she's feeling. Joy? Disbelief? Shock? She wants to laugh, cry, and scream at the same time, simply overwhelmed by it all. Higokumaru’s shrill voice and Theresa’s shouting fades away, along with the rest of the surrounding until it’s only her. Only Kallen.
The ex-miko does the only thing that makes sense. She slides her hand behind Kallen’s neck and pulls her in for a searing kiss, catching the silver haired nun off-guard. It’s messy, slightly desperate, and filled with all the emotions and words she can’t voice. The arm around her waist tightens and Sakura’s nails scrape lightly against Kallen’s scalp, earning a shudder and small moan. They break apart only when the lack of oxygen makes her head spin and chest burst.
“I’ve never stopped waiting for you,” Sakura breathes, in between pants, just barely above a whisper. She steadies herself, standing up and pulling the woman into a proper embrace, clutching onto her in fear that even the tiniest sliver of space between them would make Kallen disappear yet again.
Kallen melts against her, burying her face against her neck and combs a hand through the pink locks. “I’m sorry I’ve kept you waiting this long…” She pulls away slightly only to beam the signature Kaslana smile at her. “But I’m not going anywhere! Not without you, so you’re stuck with me now!”
Sakura chuckles, cupping the shorter woman’s face, as if she’s holding the sun itself in the palms of her hands. “All I want is to be by your side.” She peppers more kisses on her cheeks, her nose, her head, and finally closes back in on her lips. This time, Kallen is prepared and receives her with an open mouth, letting Sakura’s tongue in to explore.
" Ahem !!" Theresa clears her throat loudly, standing about 6 feet away with a hand over her mouth and a furious blush on her face, finally getting the two’s attention.
With a laugh, they break apart but keep a hand entwined, facing the principal. “Sorry, Teresa!” Kallen apologizes, although her grin is anything but.
"I swear, you two are
worse
than Kiana and Mei!
You,
” she frowns and points at her silver haired counterpart, “Were supposed to wait for my cue! I was about to tell the epic story behind how we got you here! Seriously, it was not easy-" Theresa pauses, seeing that the two lovestruck women are eying each other again and shakes her head with a smile. “You know what? I’m going to go get that bitter melon. You two have fun. Let’s go Higokumaru!” She grabs the little fox by her ponytail and tugs her along towards the stairs leading to the village.
“Wh-What? But I wanna stay here with Aneki!” She squirms in the valkyrie’s grasp, flailing and kicking. “Waaaaaaah, Aneki, help me!” she yelps, only to have her cries fall on deaf ears.
As soon as the two disappear down the steps, with one swift motion, Sakura scoops a flustered and giggling Kallen into her arms, carrying her bridal style towards the shrine.
Kallen loops her arms around Sakura’s neck, nuzzling her face against her chest with a content smile. “I’m finally home.”
Home. Yes, this place is finally starting to feel like one. Here where the pain lingers, but she is healing, she supposes. She smiles at the silver haired woman in her arms. “Are you hungry?”
“Famished!”
The two disappear into the Shrine, having spent 500 years apart, but now they have an eternity to make up for it. For them, this is only a new chapter in their lives.