Hakuouki: Change of Fate

Letting Go

Elena POV

Shiranui sighed for the fifth time and paced back and forth in Elena's peripheral.
"Can you cut that out," she snapped. "I can't concentrate."
"Leave it to me to get stuck with the boring job," Shiranui grumbled.

He sank to the floor, leaning against one of the server towers in the room. Elena ignored him and tried to focus on Knox's instructions. Uploading the virus to crash the servers was tedious. Several servers held information on the rasetsu projects.
Luckily, Knox had devised an efficient, foolproof plan to tackle the daunting task. In their pack was a case of labeled flash drives. With Knox's guidance, Elena was to plug the designated drive into the server. Of course, if all went well, the information would all be lost at once.
"That should be all," Knox told Elena. "I'm uploading the virus now. It should take about half an hour; then, the place is ready to blow."
Shiranui banged his head against the rack he was leaning on.
"Copy that," Elena replied.
She picked up the pack and tossed it into Shiranui's lap.
"If you want something fun to do, you can help me rig up the space with explosives."
Shiranui gave a gleeful smile. "Finally, some action."
Out of all the illegal items Elena had acquired the past few weeks, the bombs were amongst the most difficult. They had to choose something that took little effort to set up and was durable enough to be tossed around. It took a lot more than Elena's abundant inheritance to track something of that nature down. Like most things, Knox took the lead on acquisition.
"We're going to target these racks here," Elena motioned to five server racks along the wall.
Elena pulled out her phone and FaceTimed Knox. Handing it to Harada to hold, Knox walked her and Shiranui through setting up and placing the explosives. They put out a total of three, a bit of overkill given the supposed magnitude of the bombs. Still, Elena wanted to be sure nothing about this project survived the night.
"I'll be ready to detonate in about twenty or so minutes. That gives you plenty of time to get across the facility and help finish off the rasetsu."
Elena nodded. "We're heading over now. If you need me, I'll be on comms."
"Elena," Knox had one final request. "Make sure you communicate when you get out so I can set the bombs off. Once they detonate, there's only so much I can do to keep backup from coming."
"I understand." Elena hung up the phone and then pulled up schematics of the building. "We need to go down one more floor to get to Sannan's team."
Shiranui pulled out his pistol with a gleeful smile. "Let's play!"
Elena led her team of three down the hall. After their first turn, they encountered a trio of guards tied up and gagged on the floor. Sidestepping the spectacle, Shiranui complained once more about 'missing all the fun.'
Annoyance and a tinge of jealousy tore at Elena's nerves. This was a pinnacle moment in her life, and he treated it like a game! To him, though, it probably was. People like Shiranui and even Okita care so little that they feel they have nothing to lose.
Elena had chosen a different path. After she lost her mother, she tried to be like them. She kept the Shinsengumi at a distance. She tried her damndest to alienate herself from the group to avoid this very situation she was in. Yet, as time marched on, her resolve wore thin. Her mother's passing had left a hole in her heart that would never be filled, but fate had brought her an army full of people that stretched her capacity for love beyond anything she ever thought possible.
The Shinsengumi helped carry her through her bad days. They made her good days more blissful and fulfilling. Still, with everything added came the risk of unimaginable pain once lost. Elena still wondered which was the easier path, hers or Shiranui's. Perhaps neither...
"Elena!" Knox shouted in her ear. He had been calling to her a few times, somewhere in her mind registered this. However this was the first time she actually heard and processed his words. "Carlson is in the building; you're headed right for him!"
Elena came to an immediate stop, Shiranui and Harada nearly mowing her down in an attempt to stop as well. Knox was still shouting in her ear, panicking, and apologizing. He had no clue how Erik had gotten in nor how he had slipped past his radar. Harada and Shiranui were fussing over the sudden stop adding to the chaos.
Her brain froze. Perhaps it was because Elena's experiences with the pressures of battle were so few and far between with the Shinsengumi. Perhaps, it was the fact that what Knox was saying contradicted their entire plan. Regardless, Elena couldn't think straight. She ripped the AirPod from her ear and snapped at everyone to be quiet.
"You have lost your element of surprise," Called a voice from around the corner. "Please, reveal yourselves."
Elena recognized that voice. It had haunted her in the back of her mind for years now, never allowing her a true moment of security. Erik Carlson.
Like last time his voice was unruffled. He remained calm and detached even amid a massive break-in in his facility. Meanwhile, Elena's mind continued to reel with questions, fear, and choices. Thoughts blurred together into an anxious hum. She knew she had to do something. Anything!
Through the blur of her thoughts, a memory took form. Fuzzy at first, but soon coming into focus. One of Saito's lessons.
* * * *
"Your execution was excellent." Saito praised. "Let's see how you do applying them in a fight." He tossed her a wooden practice sword.
Sheathing her actual sword, Elena squared up to her opponent. Elena took the lead, jabbing her weapon directly at Saito's left ear. Saito feigned back a few steps, knocked away her sword, and parried. Coming in from her left, Saito swung his sword, aiming for her abdomen. Elena had seen this move several times now. Moving on autopilot, Elena evaded the attack and tried one of the new moves Saito had just praised her on.
Their swords clashed as Saito blocked her. He parried again and knocked her practice blade from her hand with a move she had never seen him use. Elena frowned.
"Just when I think I'm getting the hang of this, you pull out some fancy new move and kick my ass."
"Unpredictability is a common part of the battle," Saito explained. "Become comfortable with the unknown."
A blade appeared at her neck from behind, its razor edge kissing the hollow of her throat. Even the slightest of moves would result in her flesh being cut. Elena tensed in surprise and scrunched her eyes close.
"Get a hold of yourself, Elena," Saito's voice had turned as sharp as the blade at her throat. "The last thing you want to do in battle is freeze. Whenever you find yourself engaging in a fight, take a breath and clear your mind. Decisions must be made in fractional moments; there is no longer room for fear. Fear leads to hesitation. Hesitation results in death. Now, you are at a disadvantage positionally and weapon-wise. What will you do?"
Elena took a breath to clear her head and then assessed her situation. Her wooden sword was gone. Scanning the room before her, she was able to gauge she was close to the back wall. She couldn't feel the second attacker's body against hers which meant her only move was backward.
Shifting her foot back, Elena threw herself against her assailant. The bulk of her frame crashed into them, costing her opponent their balance. As they stumbled backward, Elena had room to slip from their hold. As she turned to face her second attacker, she unsheathed her real sword from its scabbard at her hip.
Elena stood in a ready stance with Saito at her left and Okita maniacally smiling at her right.
"I thought you said we're only sparring one-on-one today," Elena grumbled.
"I thought I told you to become comfortable with the unknown," Saito said.
"Come on, Princess," Okita tossed her practice sword back to her and grabbed one of his own. "Let's see how you handle being outnumbered."
* * * *
Elena took a deep breath and expelled all fear from her mind. The battle plan had changed, now every ounce of mental real estate she had needed to be dedicated to the fight ahead. As she assessed the situation, she took stock of one major change from the last time she faced down Erik. She now had her oni abilities.
"Thank you, Saito," her voice was practically inaudible.
She placed the AirPod back in her ear and alerted Knox that they were engaging Erik. Harada and Shiranui seemed to recognize that was their only move forward. With a nod of acknowledgment, they rounded the corner as a team. Standing outside the stairwell with Erik Carlson beside him were several rasetsu.
Eric greeted her with a twisted smile that bordered on a sneer. "Young Miss Callahan... I was beginning to wonder if you would show back up."
"Here I am," Elena stopped several feet away.
"Right into the lion's den...." Erik's eyes scanned over Shiranui and Harada. "And you brought guests."
"Last time I saw you, you tried to have me killed."
"Last time I saw you, you disappeared in a flash of light. What happened to you?"
Elena didn't answer.
Erik shrugged. "Let's put the past behind us now, shall we? I've been combing over your mother's research, and I believe you can be of some assistance to me."
"I'm pretty sure I denied you last time as well."
"This time, I'm not asking Miss Callahan. Your DNA holds the key to the creation of a stable weapon. I'm afraid I can't let you get away again."
"I'm no one's lab rat."
Erik sighed and motioned his rasetsu forward. Harada tightened the grip on his spear and crouched to lunge, but Shiranui took the lead. He moved in a blur, phasing through three-quarters of the hallway and shooting three rasetsu through the heart in a row. Then, he was back by Elena's side before Erik or his men knew what had happened.
Erik looked at the three dead rasetsu, eyes practically glowing with glee. "You're like her!"
"I have more experience," Shiranui shrugged.
Erik nodded in appreciation. "I would love to study a specimen like you. Unfortunately, your experience makes you dangerous." Erik pulled a gun from his back and aimed it at Shiranui
Shiranui cackled. "You have no idea who you're dealing with. There's no way in hell a bullet is going to stop me." He threw open his arms, making himself an open target. "Go ahead, take your best shot."
Erik fired. In true Shiranui fashion, he even let Erik shoot him in the side, undoubtedly wanting to make a show of the bullet popping back out and healing back up. Only this one didn't...Shiranui let out a choked scream and fell to his knees. Dropping his gun, he clutched his side where the bullet had entered. Blood oozed between his fingertips. Erik made a gesture, and a pair of rasetsu seized Shiranui.
"Perhaps a regular bullet wouldn't stop you, but this one will. What do you think of my little invention? My best scientists created it as a countermeasure against unruly beasts like you. Consider yourself one of my test subjects."
"Don't put me in a category with these imposters," Shiranui grit through his teeth.
Erik rolled his eyes. "Killing you will be such a waste...." He turned to the remaining rasetsu, "Get rid of the one with the spear, too, and bring the girl with me."
Everything seemed to move in a blur. One moment they were all together; the next, they were swarmed by rasetsu. Shiranui was dragged away first; he was in no condition to fight. Then, two rasetsu took hold of Elena, grabbing each arm and pulling her away with Erik. Harada tried to stop them, but he was outnumbered three to one. Finally, they entered the stairwell, and he was out of sight.
Elena's feet kicked and bumped the stairs as she was forcibly pulled down them. Down below, she was taken through a pair of impressive steel doors recessed into the wall. Finally, coming to a stop on a catwalk overlooking the holding cells for the rasetsu. Below, the Shinsengumi were finishing their battle.
Erik pulled out his phone and pressed a series of buttons. There was a high-pitched whine, and then every cage below opened. Rasetsu spilled out into the space, surrounding the Shinsengumi in seconds. Seeing her friends in danger refueled her struggles. She fought the rasetsu's hold on her once more, doubling her efforts to aid her friends in their fight.... But there was no fight.
"What the hell is going on," Nagakura looked around in bewilderment. "Why aren't they attacking?"
"They're waiting for my signal," Erik said, surmising Nagakura's words "Well, isn't this something. I thought you might have had extra help lurking around here, but I wasn't expecting a small army."
No one replied.
"Quite the peculiar ragtag team you have assembled." Erik continued. "Where exactly did you find them?"
Elena avoided his gaze.
Erik shrugged, "I suppose it doesn't matter. They'll all be dead in a few moments anyway...."
Erik pressed another button on his phone, and the high-pitched whistle again carried through the open space. The rasetsu lunged. Elana's ears filled with the fervent screams of her outnumbered friends. Elena reacted.
The adrenaline coursing through Elena's veins made accessing her abilities easy. It was the only way she had used them for so long. Like with her sword skills, Elena's muscles moved off memory. Hands a few inches apart while the chi builds, then apart over anything she wanted to freeze. Everyone on the ground below her froze completely, trapped in her hazy mass of suspended time.
Beside her, Carlson looked between her and her work, mouth agape. If it were any other situation, Elena might have found some small form of victory in throwing off the smug bastard. The rasetsu up with Carlson, sensing danger, recoiled to seize Elena. Erik threw up a hand to stop it.
"It all makes sense now...." Erik breathed. "That night, you didn't disappear...you...manipulated time."
Eriks disbelief melted into a greedy, predatory smile; Elena saw her opportunity in it.
"If I go with you," Elena bargained. "Promise me you will call off the rasetsu and allow my friends to leave."
Erik's grin widened. "Now you're seeing reason, Miss Callahan."
Erik motioned with his hand, and the rasetsu came forward, gathering her hands behind her back. Elena fought its hold as it made it harder to maintain her grip on time. The air below groaned as her focus was split, and heavy metal cuffs ensnared her wrists.
"Precautions for me, I hope you don't mind," Erik told her. "The side effects from the bullets I used on your friend have been quite unpredictable, and you're far too valuable of an asset to take any risks with...."
Elena's focus strained; she flexed her hands and fingers, trying to make any form of a hand signal to help. A thunderous crack reverberated through the open space, and the bodies below lurched. Erik jumped in surprise, then narrowed curious eyes at Elena. She could practically see the gears turning in his head.
"Call off your monsters," She tried to sound as diplomatic as possible.
Erik didn't move. A carnivorous smile crept across his lips. "I'd be willing to bet there are limitations to your abilities. Ones you're reaching rather fast...."
With another motion of his hand, the rasetsu began pulling Elena towards the door, and she lost her hold on time. The break was so violent it shook the entire space from floor to ceiling, making the rasetsu holding her all the more wary. The chaos of battle continued with envigorated speed as everyone caught up in time.
Amagiri was swarmed by seven rasetsu crawling on him like overgrown ants. Hijikata was fending off a pair of his own but losing inches every few seconds. Heisuke, Kazama, and Souji were a reckless trio at the heart of the fight. They were no longer worried about any defensive strikes unless it was to protect their vital spots. All other movements were strictly offensive.
Her friends had minutes at most if something wasn't done.
Elena dug her heels into the floor. "You can't do this! We had a deal!"
Erik shook his head and laughed. "You're just as naive as your mother. There's no need to make a deal with someone who has already given away their best cards. Remember that for next time."
Erik turned away as though her struggle was suddenly boring to him. He barely even mustered the effort it took to wave her away. With her "handled," his attention was caught by the slaughter below. Erik's eyes scanned the violence with glee as a cruel smile played on his lips.
Something snapped inside of Elena. Her head began to pound as blood rushed and roared behind her ears. Red tinged the outer ring of her vision, framing Erik like a bullseye in its middle. It couldn't end like this. Erik wouldn't take another soul for his selfish gain.
Her body began to move on its own, now fuelled by rage and a deep-rooted fear of loss. Elena planted her feet and stopped the rasetsu with little effort, surprising herself with her strength. Elena pulled from the monster's grasp, and it reared back its clawed fingers to strike. She was faster. Moving with blinding speed, Elena snapped the cuffs binding her wrists and delivered an attack of her own. Her fist connected with the rasetsu's chest and continued through the heart with a gravelly crunch.
The rasetsu fell limp.
Elena pulled her hand back and turned on her actual target. Elena wasn't sure what she looked like then, but she was sure of a few things. First, she had transformed into her oni form at some point. Second, she was covered in gore and blood spatter, and lastly, Erik was utterly terrified. He clambered for his gun, firing unsteady shots that missed her vital areas.
Elena only felt a dull pinch where the bullets entered, then heard a tiny tink as the projectile was ejected from her rapidly healing wound. Erik fired off two more poorly aimed shots. Elena didn't bother wasting the chi to stop them. Whatever serum Erik had in those bullets didn't appear to be very effective on her, especially not in her oni form.
Elena backhanded the pistol out of his hand and then seized him by the throat. Erik's flailing feet left the floor, and his eyes bulged. Both hands gripped her forearm, clawing at her skin desperately, trying to get her to let go. Elena tightened her grip. The bones and cartilage in Erik's neck began to groan and pop.
In a final desperate plea, he produced the phone. "Please...I...can stop them..." he unlocked the device revealing the application controlling the rasetsu.
Some naive, trusting part of her wanted to believe him. She wanted to so bad that her fingers eased up their grasp. Then she remembered her mother, Shiranui, and Harada. She remembered that mear moments ago, he took pleasure in double-crossing her and watching her world burn. If power or profit were to be gained, Erik would stop at nothing to have it.
"A word of advice, Erik, never assume you know someone's best card. Remember that next time...." Then she squeezed until his neck broke.
Even after Erik's body fell limp, Elena kept squeezing. She didn't feel safe letting him loose. He may still have one final trick up his sleeve, so she held onto him, watching him and keeping everyone safe...
Elena kept her attention fixated on the corpse in her grasp. She shut the entire chaos of the world out, feeling completely safe for the first time in years. Elena stayed in that bubble until a hand came to rest on her shoulder.
"You can let go now, sweetheart; he's dead."
Elena turned and saw Harada standing at her side. She was sure he was nothing more than an apparition. The shock of battle was finally getting to her. But, at the moment, she didn't care. She allowed his hand to go over hers and loosen her grip.
Erik's body fell to the floor. She stared at the unmoving figure lying prone on the grate and collapsed to her knees, covering her mouth with trembling crimson fingers. Elena drew in a jagged breath just as fat tears began rolling down her cheeks. Harada knelt next to her, keeping her from falling into the spiral of her own emotions.
"I think we should maybe lend them a hand..." Shiranui's voice came from behind them.
Elena wasn't surprised to see Shiranui's ghost was there too. They had both died on her watch. It was only natural they would stick around her in the afterlife.
Shiranui was right, too; Elena still had work to do. She crawled over to Erik, legs too numb to walk, and picked up his phone. Unlocking it again with his face, she pulled back up the application that controlled the rasetsu. With a few taps, she was able to stop their attacks. Shiranui went down to 'help' while Harada stayed by her side.
It took a few minutes for the fighting to die back down. Finally, no rasetsu remained. Everyone Elena split off from made their way back up the stairs. Some limped or had bloody gashes that may need some stitches, but they were all alive.
'All except for them...' her brain reminded her.
More fat tears rolled down her cheeks, plopping audibly on the metal grate beneath her knees. All around her, Shinsengumi and oni alike shook hands and clapped each other on the back. They had won, but the price was steep for her. Hijikata came by and placed a steady hand atop her head.
"You really came through for us there, Elena."
"What about me?" Shiranui complained. "Had I not shown up, you would have lost your arm down there."
"You demons aren't half bad either. You're pretty reliable in a fight; I'll give you that."
Elena felt as though her entire body had been doused with cold water. She whirled on Hijikata, then turned back to Shiranui and Harada.
"Wait, you can see them, Hijikata?...Shiranui and Harada?"
Hijikata would have looked less surprised if the floor had grown a mouth and started speaking.
"Why wouldn't I be able to?"
She jabbed a finger at Shiranui. "Erik shot you; he took away your powers. I watched five rasetsu drag you and Harada away!"
Shiranui snorted. "Maybe the poison has a more lasting effect on those imposters, but I regained my abilities in a few minutes. After that, taking them down was a breeze between the two of us."
Elena thought back to when Erik shot her as well. The bullets didn't have much of an effect on her either.
"So then I killed Erik for nothing..." Elena admitted.
Her stomach curdled and heaved, and she grew hot under her clothes. Harada moved in closer, rubbing soothing circles on her back. 
"Huh?" Hijikata asked
"I thought Harada was dead, and I was so angry. He begged me to spare his life-"Elena's voice broke.
"Don't you dare shed a single tear over that human filth! Kazama snarled.
Elena flinched away from his words. Kazama wasn't having it; he pushed through the small crowd until the bulk of his frame imposed over top of Elena.
"We didn't just risk our lives destroying Erik and all his work for you to mourn him!"
Elena pushed him away, disgusted with his very presence, "Does human life mean so little to you?! If I go around judging who lives and who dies, what makes me any better than Erik Carlson!"
"EVERYTHING-"
"Stop!" Amagiri's swift command stopped the argument as he physically put his frame between them. "Now is not the time to have this quarrel. We need to be leaving."
"Knox is ready with the explosives as soon as we exit," Sannan announced.
Harada helped Elena off the floor and into position. Reluctantly, she allowed Kazama to trade places with him so he could lend his chi once more. Elena had them portaled out and out of range when Knox finally set off the explosives. In the darkness of the car, Erik's facility was just a barely visible glow in the rearview mirror.
All was silent after the battle. Everyone except for Kazama. He exchanged heated whispers with Amagiri, casting glances towards the front seat occasionally. Elena gripped the steering wheel harder and narrowed her bleary eyes out the windshield.
"If you have something to say, Kazama spit it out. Quit huffing and puffing," Elena said.
Kazama turned on her with the deadly fluidity of a cobra. "Gladly, you're an oni. It's disgraceful for you to shed tears over disposing of the likes of Erik Carlson."
"You speaking like that is disgraceful! I killed a man out of retaliation. I let my anger over losing my mother and Harada fuel a rage, and I snapped. And Harada wasn't even dead!"
Kazama pinched the bridge of his nose. "You still view life through a human lens. Don't let your human facade fool you, Elena. You're one of us. What you did today was necessary for the survival of our people, both past and future."
"I have to agree somewhat with Kazama," Saito mused. "Though his words may sound harsh, he does have a point; Erik Carlson living on would have surely destroyed more lives, both human and oni. You were justified in taking his life."
Elena glared at the traitor in the rearview mirror.
"Furthermore, I believe the biggest detail you are overlooking is the value of your own life," Saito continued.
"My life?..." Elena sputtered.
"Yes, your life. Did you think we missed the part where you offered yourself as a sacrifice to Erik?"
"He was going to kill you! What was I supposed to do-"
"You were supposed to take more than a few mere moments to think before bartering away your life. I know the shadow of death sits heavy on your shoulders, Elena, but that same value you see in others lives in you as well."
"It is only natural that you would have such distorted views," Amagiri said. "Not only were you raised by humans for most of your life, but the humans you were with treated you like a tool. Even your mother used you as an experiment to aid in her scientific research."
"Don't go there...please...." Elena's voice was barely audible.
"Maybe it's time we finally did," Harada said. "You keep treating your life like it's something so easily traded away. I don't know exactly what you need to face down in your past, sweeetheart, but it needs to happen. You're scaring us."
Elena said nothing. They may be right, but it wasn't as simple as having a conversation with friends. Dissecting her past and healing from it would take years! Did any of them understand that?
The conversation naturally died off after that, and the ride remained silent until they arrived at the house. Knox was waiting for them in the driveway when they pulled up. He had all of Elena's luggage sitting with him, ready to load as soon as everyone was out. At that moment, Elena was hit with another pang of loss.
This was the end of her journey with the Shinsengumi. She would have to leave her home again even though she had just returned. She would be cut off from Knox. She was going to be alone...
Elena straightened up her spine. She could do this. She had been uprooted and alone before. Some of her most beautiful relationships and friendships came from the situation. She wasn't the same person that fell from the portal all those years ago. She had learned and grown so much.
"We're in the clear so far. Nothing is linking us to Erik's facility. I'll keep my ear out as the investigation continues in case we missed anything," Knox told her. "I'm working now on erasing all digital footprints of Erik's research. The project was pretty new, so he kept it contained to just the server we hit and a cloud backup."
Elena hugged her friend. "Thank you, Knox. I couldn't have done this without you."
"You're right," his voice had a smug edge, and he squeezed her back tight. "Now say your goodbyes; your flight leaves in three hours."
Elena started with the easier ones, the oni.
"You're a powerful badass demon now, Precious. Remember that," Shiranui winked.
Amagiri gave a kind smile and a bow.
"It... Wasn't going to work out between us..." Kazama told her.
Elena snorted a laugh. "Glad you finally came to that conclusion on your own."
She turned to Souji, Sannan, and Hijikata, offering them her most dignified bow.
"It was a pleasure serving with you," Hijikata told her.
"Good luck, princess," Souji winked.
Heisuke and Nagakura stepped up next. Nagakura caught her in a giant bear hug. Behind them, Elena could hear Heisuke sniffling and getting choked up.
"You take care of yourself out there, you hear me?" Nagakura
Heisuke clapped her on the shoulder, "Yeah, make sure the future stays safe."
Elena nodded. "I'll leave the past to you two." Then she went in for one final hug from each of them.
It took a lot of willpower to say her last two goodbyes. However, Saito didn't let her drag out the moment. Instead, he did most of the talking.
"We've learned a lot from each other as comrades. I will carry those lessons with me for years to come. I hope you do too."
Elena nodded.
"You can't change the past and the hurt it has caused you, but you can continue living on and thriving despite it. Just as you train with the sword, you too can work day by day and get stronger mentally as well."
Elena felt a flood of warmth swell up in her chest as she exchanged a bow and a hug. "Thank you, my friend."
Turning to face Harada was a completely different scenario. Neither of them quite seemed to know what to say. Just as Elena would open her mouth to speak, Harada would start, and they would both trail off. The only thing they could seem to decide was that they wanted to be in each other's arms. Elena laid her head against his chest one last time and listened to the familiar thrum of his heartbeat.
"I love you," she said as tears finally slipped down her cheeks. "I wish it didn't have to be this way..."
"I love you too. If there was any chance I thought you would let me stay with you, I would do it in a heartbeat."
"You would never be happy here... we both know you love the battlefield-"
Harada tilted Elena's chin back so she was sure to look into the depths of his eyes. In them she saw nothing but sincerity as he spoke. "Nothing makes me happier than when I'm with you."
"You mean that? Like...really mean what you just said?"
Harada took hold of both sides of her face and kissed her. It was the deep, slow kind of kiss you lose track of the world in. "I do. If I could, I would spend eternity with you starting this very moment. Hell, I'd marry you here in this spot."
His words made her heart ache for what could have been. But there was no regret as she had always feared. Harada's love was brilliant and wondrous yet fleeting, like that of a shooting star. She was happy to have witnessed its marvels for the short while they lasted.
She held onto him for the final time, savoring just one more kiss before opening a portal.

Kazama POV

Chizuru sat rigid at her usual spot in the study. However, tonight she chose to entertain herself through reading, or at least try to. Chizuru had been frowning at the same page for the past half hour. She was nervous this evening, and rightfully so; Kazama's father was scheduled to visit any moment now. Chizuru's chest heaved in a sigh, and the book slipped from her grasp.
"Oooh!" Chizuru fussed, kneeling to pick up the book.
Kazama jumped up to help her, finding himself more fidgety than usual. He knelt next to Chizuru, placing his hands on top of hers, which had started trembling. She looked up at him, bottom lip quivering slightly.
"It's alright," Kazama moved his hands to either side of her face and kissed her lips lightly. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you."
"I'm honestly more worried about you."
"Me?!" Kazama feigned outrage.
Chizuru stood and stomped her foot. "This is no laughing matter. We both know your father already came between you and me once before. What if you are just as weak this time!"
"Do you have so little faith in me?" Kazama asked, snaking his arms around her waist and pecking her on the cheek
Chizuru rolled her eyes, "I came back, did I not?"
There was a knock at the study door. Amagiri entered, announcing the arrival of Takeshi. Kazama and Chizuru bowed to the head of the clan and then rose to meet his ire.
"What is she doing here?" Takeshi snarled.
Kazama stepped between him and Chizuru. "She's here because this is her home now."
Takeshi narrowed his eyes, "If you're entertaining this pathetic wench, I'm assuming the daughter of Veil is with child?"
"That's no way to speak to my wife."
"Where the hell is Elena!"
Behind him, Chizuru shrank away from Takeshi's ire.
"She is back where she belongs. Elena would never willingly marry me or provide me with an heir, and I will not compromise my values for a powerful offspring."
Takeshi threw his head back and laughed. "You idealistic fool! Do you think our clan became this powerful without getting our hands a little dirty? You're not fit to ascend."
Kazama said nothing.
When he didn't get the reaction, he seemed to be hoping for Takeshi, snarled, and turned on his heel. "I'll go retrieve the daughter of veil myself."
"You must have misunderstood me, father," Kazama called. "When I said Elena is where she belongs, I didn't mean with the Shinsengumi. I meant I helped her return to her home in the future."
Takeshi recoiled like a cat that had just been doused in water. "You...you...insolent, treacherous worm! You get a few ideas in your head, and suddenly you think you can go against me?!"
Kazama shrugged. "If your decisions will disgrace this family, then yes. I know about your work with Kodo and the rasetsu. I won't allow you to bring about any more ruin than they already have."
Takeshi unsheathed the long sword at his hip. Kazama followed. He had imagined and prepared himself for many scenarios with his father, this being among the worst. His father wouldn't hold back.
"I'm going to teach you a lesson on respect you won't soon forget!" Takeshi hissed.
Takeshi made the first move, lunging for Kazama's heart. Kazama parried and swung in an upward arc that deflected the blow. He gave a curt nod to Chizuru, signaling she should leave, then turned back to the battle. His father took another thrust at his heart, which Kazama avoided by phasing back a few feet.
Had Takeshi been facing nearly anyone else, the fight would have been over in moments. He was a master swordsman and chi wielder. However, he was facing Kazama, his offspring created through selective breeding to ensure the descendant was more powerful than its predecessor. Not only that, but Takeshi was well past his prime.
His father lunged once more, aiming for his heart. Kazama sidestepped, allowing Takeshi's blade to skate along the edge of his. Kazama took advantage of his father's forward momentum. With a quick pirouette in the opposite direction, he was now behind his father. He jabbed his fingers into Takeshi's dominant shoulder, cutting off the flow of chi, and his sword fell to the floor.
Kazama jammed two fingers into his lower back, and his legs collapsed from under him. Kazama kicked the sword out of his reach, and the fight ended. Takeshi screamed in rage.
"Guards, get in here! I want this traitor out of my sight!"
The door to the study opened, and several soldiers entered. There was a brief pause where they looked between Kazama and his father. Kazama held his breath. Then they seized Takeshi.
"What the hell are you doing?" Takeshi seethed. "Unhand me this instant! I command-"
"You are no longer one with authority to make such commands," Kazama said.
"Ex-excuse me..." Takeshi sputtered.
Kazama stared at the pitiful disarmed man he once revered. How far he had fallen from grace...
Kazama nodded to the soldiers holding onto Takeshi. "Well, as you can see, I've been doing a lot of work in the time you've postponed my ascension. And I've concluded that it's time we started taking this clan in a different direction. Starting with its leadership."