Mask of Identity: Caged Birds

“This is unfortunate,” Satoru muttered as the three Isshin sat in the dining hall. “I thought we would have some sort of match or something, but now our masters have gone off on their own to Morai Palace while we’re stuck here.”

 

“Oh, stop complaining,” Kyouji moaned as he tilted his chair back. “Yukio will entertain us, won’t you, Yukio?”

 

Yukio just stared back at them. Entertainment was not a word in his vocabulary.

 

Kyouji smirked at him, and then leaned forward across the table. “Hey, Yukio,” he said, amusement entering his voice. “You know what we should do? We should have our own match. No masters, just the three of us. What’d you say?”

 

Yukio continued to stare at him. “I think it’s a bad idea,” he finally spoke. “Master Anzai will kill me if he finds out we’ve been having matches without supervision.”

 

“You’re absolutely nuts, Kyouji!” Satoru exclaimed. “Yukio is right. We’ll be punished severely!”

 

Kyouji rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said. "Have it your way. We'll just be bored all day!"

 

*****

 

Anzai pulled open the heavy doors and waited while Juro, Tadoa and Amai filed into the room. He stepped in after Amai and quietly closed the door behind them. When he turned around, standing at the other end of the circular room was none other than Hana, Yukio’s mother.

 

“Hana,” he muttered as he pushed through Juro and Tadoa’s shoulders. “What are you doing here?” He looked at her stunned face for a moment, and then turned around, not giving her chance to reply, and pushed the other Isshin back out the door.

 

“Please,” he implored, beckoning to Amai. “Would the three of you just wait in the hall for one moment?” When Amai just stared at him, probably convinced that he had gone nuts, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the door. “I’m really sorry about this, but it’ll just be a moment.”

 

Just before the door closed, Anzai heard Tadoa whisper, “Isn’t that Yukio’s mother?”

 

Anzai turned his back to the door and looked back at Hana. “What exactly are you doing here?” he reiterated. “I mean, you just left my place yesterday, Hana, and you told me you were going home.”

 

“Anzai, don’t get upset,” she told him, making her way across the room, her purple robes softly grazing the hardwood floor. “I’m just really concerned about Yukio, and I wanted to talk to someone about it. So here I am.”

 

He blinked at her, not believing that she would go behind his back. “Talk to someone?!” he echoed. “Why not talk to me?! Haven’t we been friends, Hana? Is there something that you can’t say to me?”

 

She stopped, just a few feet away from him. “I’ve already TOLD you, Anzai. I’ve said it all to you just yesterday. The problem is that you don’t listen to a word I say. You just make excuses for yourself and pretend that everything is okay.”

 

“That’s not true!” he objected. “I’ve listened to every word, and—”

 

“And what?” she interrupted. “I just happened to be wrong every time? Look, Anzai, I don’t like being made to feel stupid, and I don’t like you ignoring my concerns. I’m Yukio’s mother and if you don’t listen to me, someone will.”

 

Anzai’s heart rate picked up pace, and suddenly, he was at a loss for words. “Hana…” he said through his teeth. “Please, just give me another chance. I promise I’ll listen to everything you have to say.”

 

She turned around, her robes circling around her. “Listening isn’t enough anymore. I’ve trusted you with my son, and at this point, I’m not giving you anymore chances. You’ve run out.”

 

“Hana… Hana!” Anzai put a hand on each of her shoulders, but she moved away. “Hana… I know we’ve had our differences when it comes to Yukio, but you have to realize that I have his best interest in mind. You know I care for him… I wouldn’t do anything that I thought was bad for him, honestly, Hana.”

 

Hana turned back around to face him. “I know how much you love him,” she admitted. “I’m not questioning your concern. I realize that you’re doing what you think is best for him, but he’s hurting, Anzai! As his mother, I’m not going to stand by and watch you hurt my son, however unintentionally it may be.”

 

“Hana, just allow me to listen to you one more time. Telling the ruler about this isn’t going to make anything better. Where do you want Yukio to stay? With me, or here in this huge palace surrounded by strangers?”

 

“Don’t try to make me feel bad about this. I’ve already made up my mind!”

 

Anzai grabbed her arm just as she was about to walk toward the door. “Hana… I’m trying to work this out. Please, don’t involve the palace. Fighting over Yukio will only make him feel more depressed. If we want to help him, we need to be on the same page.”

 

She stared at him with narrow eyes, searching his blue ones for some hint of sincerity.

 

He saw his chance. “Let’s work out some sort of plan. I want you to be more involved. After the Isshin conference, why don’t you come and live with us for a while? Until Yukio’s feeling better? That way you can be there when he needs you, and we can help him together. What do you say?”

 

Hana pulled away from his hold and folded her arms across her chest. “Begging doesn’t suit you, Anzai,” she muttered, looking up at him. “But this time, you’re right. I don’t want Yukio moving into the Palace. At least not right now. He should be with us.”

 

Anzai grinned as he hooked his elbow around her waist and lifted her for a hug. “You won’t be sorry,” he mumbled into her hair and then deposited her back to the floor. When she looked at him as though he was crazy, he pulled her back to his chest. That was a close one… he had almost lost Yukio.

 

Hana pressed her hands flat against his chest and pushed away from his hold. “I haven’t said yes yet,” she clarified.

 

*****

 

Yukio, Kyouji and Satoru ended up lounging on the lawn in the back of Anzai's house. Yukio sat with his knees to his chest, facing away from the other two boys, while they lie on their backs as they stared up at the blue sky.

 

"Relax!" Kyouji demanded, looking over at Yukio's cold shoulder. "Do you realize that you never smile? You could be a much more pleasant person if you TRIED."

 

Yukio ignored him. Listening to Kyouji's incessant rambling was enough to give him a headache.

"At least it's a nice day out," Satoru muttered from his spot on the grass. "Even if we're not being entertained, I really did need a chance to relax. My master has me training all of the time. I'm so sick of it that my bones ache!"

 

"You're not old enough to say that," Kyouji replied, rubbing each of his wrists. "I've practiced this so many times that I think my hands might fall off."

 

Still, Yukio said nothing. He was sure that no one was a tougher master than Master Anzai. These guys obviously didn't know what he was going through or they wouldn't be so quick to complain about their own problems. At least they had masters who cared. At least they had fathers! Or... at least he thought they did. Who knew. It was obvious that they weren't as miserable as he was, anyway!

 

"Quit complaining," Satoru said, as if reading Yukio's thoughts. "Do you realize that in a few years or so... one of us is going to rule this kingdom?"

 

Yukio turned to look at them abruptly. "Don't remind me," he snapped. "That's the last thing I want."

 

Kyouji grinned at him and leaned up on his elbows. "Maybe you should quit. Have you tried running away?"

 

Yukio almost laughed at him. "Are you kidding me? Have you ever tried to run away?"

 

"No..." Kyouji's smile disappeared. "Why would I do that?"

 

Yukio turned back around. "Never mind," he muttered.

 

"I've heard that you have a thing for running away. I mean, just this morning, your master was so mad at you... I thought the vein in his neck would pop!"

 

Yukio thought the vein in his own neck would pop if Kyouji didn't shut the hell up.

 

"Some people obviously have problems with their current situtations," Satoru put in. "I wouldn't concern yourself in the affairs of others, Kyouji. It'll just make things harder for yourself. And for me... if I have to listen to you egging him on every two seconds."

 

"Hey, guys," Kyouji said as if Satoru had never spoken. "Guess what I found out."

 

Yukio turned to look at him, and Satoru turned away.

 

Kyouji leaned back onto the grass and looked back at the sky. "My master told me that I was supposed to meet him for training at eight in the morning, it was two days ago, so I went to meet him in our main hall. I was just about to step through the doorway when I heard a strange voice."

 

"What the hell are you talking about?" Satoru demanded.

 

Kyouji didn't even look at him. "I listened in on their conversation, and do you know what I heard?" He looked over at Yukio for a reaction. Yukio stared blankly at him. "It was the ruler's personal assitant! He was coming to my master to warn him about a rumor he had heard. Apparently someone has been plotting against the ruler. Something about an unjust something or other. They were kinda whispering. I couldn't really tell. Master played it off like it was nothing and sent the poor guy on his way, but I could tell by his tone of voice that he was worried. Then, he canceled my training for the day... which he never does! Something is up and that's what I think our masters are attending to at the palace."

 

"You're full of shit," Satoru mumbled. "Never in the history of Morai has any ruler ever successfully been dethroned. Maybe people plot, but the decision isn't up to them. Didn't you pay attention during your studies?"

 

Yukio turned away from the two other Isshin. This was bad. If Kyouji was right and someone was plotting against the ruler, then that could mean their time could come a lot sooner than he had originally thought it would be. Not only that, but he had already found the Kaizoe. What if that was a sign of things to come?

 

"Of course I paid attention," Kyouji spat at him. "I am the lead in the running, after all. You two don't stand a chance against me, so you might as well resign yourselves to living with your stupid masters for the rest of your lives. I'm the one who's going to be moving up!"

 

Yukio had to restrain himself from punching him in the nose. He would be thrilled if Kyouji or Satoru were chosen as ruler... but Kyouji's stuck up attitude made his blood boil.

 

"Let's train," Kyouji suddenly suggested, jumping to his feet and pulling at the robes of both Yukio and Satoru. "I'm getting bored with just sitting here, anyway, and if I'm up against the two of you, I'll definitely win."

 

"Shut the hell up!" Satoru yelled at him as he pulled his robes away from Kyouji's grasp. "You couldn't beat me if you tried. Even though I'm a year younger, I'm far more advanced than you'll ever dream of being."

 

Kyouji laughed at him. "Whatever, just get up."

 

Yukio watched as Satoru seethed at Kyouji. He already knew that this would be a bad day, but he didn't imagine he'd have to spend it entirely with these two morons... not to mention training unsupervised. Things could go horribly wrong if someone got carried away... and Yukio did NOT trust either of them with anything.

 

*****

 

Hana straightened out Anzai's robes, and smoothed out the material on his shoulders with the palms of her hands. "You make me so angry," she muttered. "But I know you love him. It's obvious that you love him, so I guess I'm just going to have to put up with you, huh?"

 

Aznai blinked at her. "Well, I hope you do..." he mumbled back. "He's all I have."

 

She gave him a weak smile just as someone pounded on the door. It opened without warning, and Anzai took a step away from Hana.

 

"The ruler says he'll see us now," Juro said as Amai and Tadoa peeked around him. "Are you done talking to..." he looked at Hana.

 

"Hana, Yukio's mother," Anzai introduced. "And yes, we're done." He stepped around her and followed Juro out of the door.

 

*****

 

Ryousei, the current ruler of the kingdom of Morai, sat on his gilded chair and stared at the huge clock that was above the door. He had gotten a message from Anzai, his old friend from his younger days, and also the master of Yukio, one of the Isshin who might replace him in a few years. The message said that it was urgent, and that he and the other two masters of the Isshin in Yukio's generation needed to speak to him immediately.

 

It had been almost an hour since he'd recieved the message, and his mind had gone through all of the possibilities. All of them, of course, were horrible. He couldn't imagine that the news would be good by the tone of the letter.

 

Ryousei tapped his fingers on the arm rest. He hoped that all of the Isshin were in tact. This could be a messy situation if someone were to die.

 

Two knocks sounded from the main door, and both Ryousei and his attendants straightened up. "Come in," he said, his voice echoing through the tall domed ceilings.

 

Anzai walked in first, looking slightly more worn than he had looked the last time Ryousei had seen him, but his eyes remained the same: dark and haunted. Flanking him, were two Isshin who both looked about twenty years Anzai's senior. Ryousei knew their names, but could not remember which was which. He hoped it wouldn't matter.

 

"Anzai," he said, standing up from his seat. "What's going on?"

 

Anzai looked at him urgently, and then stepped aside to reveal a girl of about eighteen years old, standing with her back to the closed doors and looking almost terrified. He blinked at her as he stepped forward, trying to get a closer look, until it struck him; her eyes were saphirre blue. He tripped on the perfectly cut stones at his feet, and Anzai caught his arm, steadying him.

 

"Is it true?" Ryousei asked.

 

Anzai nodded. "Yukio found her this morning."

 

"But... it's so early." Ryousei gently pulled away from Anzai's firm hands and continued to make his way toward the girl. "Yukio is only..."

 

"Eighteen," Anzai filled in for him. "I know. Which is exactly why I contacted you right away."

 

"This can't be some sort of horrible sign!" Ryousei said to Anzai in a panicked whisper. "Can it?"

 

"Don't worry, your highness," Anzai whispered back. "It's not the first time she's appeared early, is it?"

 

Ryousei shook his head. He needed to calm down. If only Koto were alive... if only he had been chosen. Then everything would be so different, and everything would be okay! He searched Anzai's eyes for some sort of answer, but Anzai remained calm.

 

"You worry too much, your highness."

 

He pulled his eyes away from Anzai's dark blue ones, and continued to make his way towards the girl. When he bent down to look in her eyes, he froze. "It is you," he whispered more to himself than to the girl. "What's your name?"

 

She pressed herself into the wooden door. "It's Amai. I live in the south part of Morai. It's nice to meet you, your highness."