"Kisola."
Kisola watched her father as he looked at her. He was looking at her calmly and she clenched her fists.
"You lied to me."
"About what?"
"You said you didn't know where my father went! And here you are... here you are just... just..."
Tsume smiled at her and she dove into him, wrapping her arms around him.
"You've always been here with me... I knew there was something more to you." She sobbed.
Tsume touched her back and hugged her close, finally able to hug her like his daughter. She began to glow and she gasped, walking backwards. She looked at her hands and at him, ashamed.
"I... I don't know why I do this. I'm cursed..."
"You're not cursed, Kisola. I'm not sure why you do it either, but it's not because you're cursed." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Relax a little. No need to be frightened."
Kisola breathed in a little and Tsume touched her under her chin.
"If you want to know more about what happened, you can meet me in the servant's chamber along with your grandmother and Natomi."
"What about... what about Satuya?"
Tsume looked away. "Satuya will come to know when he's ready. He will have lots of questions for me and the main one will be why. Why did I leave him? The answer is simple enough but for him it won't be. He will want something more... so, he will know when he's ready."
Kisola nodded. "Alright. I understand."
"You know where to go if you want answers."
Kisola nodded and left as Tsume picked up the clothes that had fallen and carried the basket off.
A shadow followed close behind him.

*************************

After securing Takuma in his room and making sure he was truly knocked out, Natomi and Chekome made their way to the room that Tsume had told them about to finally get some answers to the seemingly unending questions that just kept coming up. When they got to the room, however, they were surprised to find Kisola there as well, about to slide open the door.
"L-Lady Benitone... er, I mean, Obaa-san..." she said with a small bow to Chekome.
Chekomen looked at Natomi and Kisola sat up, putting her hands in the sleeves of her kimono, embarrassed.
"I... I overheard the conversation you had with Isshin... Tsume... um..."
Chekome smiled and went to touch her hair when she drew back a little.
"I... Would it be alright to touch your face?" Chekome asked softly.
"My face?" Kisola asked in confusion.
"It's just that I haven't seen you since you were born and after I thought I'd never see you again... and now that you know I'm your grandmother..."
To her surprise, Kisola grabbed her hand with both of hers and put her palm to her face. Kisola leaned into it and smile as Chekome tried to hold back tears. She lowered her hand to Kisola's shoulder and brought the girl in for a hug.
"Oh, how I wish I could have watched you grow..."
The clearing of someone's throat was heard and the two of them looked over at Tsume, who was watching on with bemusement.
"I thought I said to be inside the room?"
The girls blushed in embarrassment as they opened the door and they all piled in. Tsume found a flint to light the lantern and everyone took a seat at a small table that was made just enough for four or six people to sit at. Tsume and Kisola sat on one side as Chekome and Natomi sat on the other, the four of them looking like they were in the middle of a business agreement than just four people who wanted to learn the truth about the years that were lost and taken from them.
"Well? Who wants to go first?" Tsume asked, trying to break the ice. "We have all the freedoms in the world to talk of what we want."
"Um... I'd like to ask a question..." Kisola asked, raising her hand slightly.
"Of course."
"Why?" She turned to him fully. "Why did you act like you had died? Why... why didn't you tell me you were my father?"
"It was a complicated matter..."
"I'd like to know that too." Chekome asked, crossing her arms.
"I actually have a question that may help the correlation: what happened in Laota? It all must have started there..." Natomi said, seeming to be the only sensible one at the table.
"Regarding Laota... They are a ninja clan but they are not like the Kiyoshi Clan by far. They are mostly a refugee clan with some ninja's thrown into the mix for protection and money-makers for the town. It was peaceful and quiet... It was so boring!" Tsume said, deflating over the chair to indicate his boredom. "God, I had never been so bored in my life. I mean, I was grateful for them taking me in and definitely grateful for their... uh... understand of the situation, but man was it boring. I was so used to doing drills or something productive. I needed something to do but they wouldn't let me do any of the ninja stuff that was around, so I went to work for a smithy who helped make the weaponry. It was fulfilling work and I got keep my skills in tact since I had to test out the weapons." He turned to Kisola. "Since I was alone, I had to bring you with me. It was a sight for a lot of people to see me whacking a sculpting mallet around with a baby tied to my back, fast asleep as if the banging metal was a lullaby."
Kisola brightened a little. "Oh!"
"Oh?"
"I've often wondered why I would find myself at the smithy when the princess and I would go into town. Not that I would go straight to it or something, but I don't like crowds and I would try to find a place to calm down before I... um... glowed or something, and inevitably I would find myself sitting and watching the smithy. I'd even sometimes almost fall asleep and Shonimo would find me while in her palanquin and yell at me for being stupid... but it makes sense I guess..."
Tsume smiled at his daughter and put his hand on hers.
"I know this is a little new for you, Kisola, but please don't think that every little thing that's happened was a development of a shadow of the past. Although it would be great if that were the case, but sometimes things are just coincidence. The past is done away with and the present is now; dwelling on what has shaped us will only make us regret not understanding why. I have my reasons for doing what I did and none of them were because of you or your brother. Neither of you did anything wrong..."
"R-Right..."
"Tsume, don't dismiss her trying to connect." Natomi said softly. "You have to understand from her perspective as well. She's had her father right under her nose and never knew it. You have accidentally done things that triggered a trait she has now or subconsciously said something that has helped her stay so innocent and untainted of this palace life. If that were the case, knowing that she got it from her real father would be a dream come true for her..."
"Boys." Chekome said. "Although you are both right, we are getting off topic. We will have more detailed mental discussions later when we finally have all the stories on the table... Please continue, son."
Tsume almost cried, not having heard someone call him 'son' for a long time. At least not someone he truly cared about and especially his mother. He composed himself and continued with the explanation.
"Up until the attack on the Laota Clan, I was gaining a pretty good reputation for being one of the best craftsmen around, almost as good as my master. That's when the emperor sent his men into the village and demanded that all of the ninja come and work for him to be in this... ridiculous army idea of his, but the clan leader refused. So the samurai that were sent cut him down in cold blood and then began to recruit- or rather, draft- every man able to carry a sword and all the ninja. They were splitting families apart, practically ripping husbands, brothers, and sons away from their families. Without thinking I... got myself involved with keeping the son of my master from being taken. He was only ten and two... barely a man but not a boy anymore. He had never touched a sword in his life and was shy and they just... So I got in the way of things.
"In the end, I was punished for my insolence and for my gravely wounding of at least seven of the best warriors under the highest shogun under the emperor. When the shogun came to see the 'whelp' that had taken out his best men, he recognized me from the 'incident' and then... then he turned his eyes to Kisola. Knowing about it, he tried to take her from me... I did what no ninja should ever do and begged. Seeing me do this, he challenged everything I had ever been taught by asking what I would do for my daughter. He knew I'd answer 'anything' and so with that, he grabbed her by the hair of her head. She screamed and seeing her white hair, he said she was a demon and then she got scared and began to glow. He threw her down."
Tsume's fists clenched hard and it took everything he could not to bang his hands on the table, otherwise it would break. Chekome reached over and put her hand over his to comfort him.
"I know it must have been hard for you, love."
Tsume breathed in. "That bastard threw Kisola to the ground and she hit her head. I saw nothing but red in my eyes and I don't remember exactly what happened, but I know that when the emperor got there, I was being held back by six men because I couldn't stop kicking that shogun's ass. After hearing the story from the other soldiers, the emperor decided to make a deal with me. He would spare the Laota Clan the draft if I stopped being a ninja. My whole life; gone? I thought about it for a split second and then I saw my daughter still lying on the ground. I knew that I had to get in on the inside but I realized that being a ninja was my life before I had my kids... Looking at Kisola's little body laying limp on the ground, I knew that if I lost her, then I knew my life would really be over. So I made a counter deal: I stop being a ninja, if he took Kisola into his service and let me work as servant staff. I threw in the bonus of Kisola not remembering me as her father for good measure and I even reminded him that me being under him meant that he could do as he pleased with me. He accepted, but as punishment for wounding the samurai under that shogun, I was given the lashes of the men I killed. By the time someone was able to get someone to look at you and see if you were alright, Kisola, the blow to your head already gave you memory loss. I decided to play with that and so... Isshin the Loyal Companion was born."
Chekome squeezed Tsume's hand as he let the information sink in. Kisola fidgeted a little.
"I... I know you said that I shouldn't parallel everything to when I was young but I just realized something that I thought I always imagined but turned out to be true." She looked at Natomi. "Natomi-san, do you remember when you came to brush my hair and you asked me about Isshin? I told you that he was good at combat and you asked me about it. I told you that he used to be a warrior before he came to the palace?"
"Yeah, I remember you telling me that."
"While Father was Isshin, he never told me anything about Isshin's backstory. He never mentioned he was a fighter or that he was a ninja. I was the one who decided that he was a warrior before he got here. I think I remembered the fight between Father and the samurai and with that image stuck in my head and Father (as Isshin) being like a father figure to me, I implanted that past onto Isshin."
Tsume smiled a little. "That may very well be so..." He turned to his mother and trusted friend. "Now, I have some questions for you."
Natomi sighed. "Yeah... we knew it would come to this."
"Believe me, Tsume, we never wished any of this would have happened. It was all horrible timing and placement." Chekome said, looking upset. "Especially with Takuma..."
"Did Takuma-san hold me a lot when I was a child?" Kisola asked.
"Your father was very sick and needed to recover, so yes, he held you a lot." Natomi said.
"What do you mean about father? I mean, I'm sad to know he was in pain while I was a baby but what does that have to do with Takuma-san holding me?"
Natomi and Chekome looked at each other and then looked at Tsume. He was leaning on his elbow casually and they stared at him more intensely.
"What?" He asked.
"Did you not tell her?" Natomi asked.
"I thought it was a detail that should be left unsaid."
"It really can't." Natomi said with a nervous chuckle.
"Did I do something?" She asked, looking between everyone.
"Don't worry about it, princess."
"Tsume, she needs to know. I mean, it's the whole reason for all of this nonsense in the first place." Chekome said. "If not for how it all happened, we wouldn't be here."
"I really don't want her to know a detail like that."
"Satuya knows." Tsume glared at his friend. "We thought it best to inform him of the details."
"Oh did you?" He growled sarcastically.
"Well you're the one who left him in our care instead of taking him with you! It's not like we had a way to send a letter to ask for your permission. By the time we told him about you the Laota Clan had been destroyed! He thought I was his father for the longest time!"
"Well that's kind of the way I wanted it. I wanted him to grow up normal."
"Yeah, well with a boy like him he could never be normal."
"Hey, watch your tone, Natomi." Tsume snarled, standing up and leaning across the table. "That's my kid you're talking about."
"I'm not saying it in a derogatory way... Sit down and let us explain."
Tsume sat as he continued to glare at Natomi.
"Listen, we tried to raise him right and normal but when he was three..." Natomi gulped, afraid to tell him but knowing he had to. "When he was three, the ninjas went on a blind mission that ended up with their hands on Jaakuna." Tsume's eyebrows went up. "They didn't know that they were looking for that sword, just that they were retrieving something for a village. When they got back to the village, the ruler there then proceeded to inform them of what they were actually doing and then to make sure the blade was Jaakuna, he threw it. Upon reaction, Takuma caught it, getting caught up in its wiles. It consumed him for a long time and we had him locked away... Before that, Takuma and Satuya were inseparable... so Satuya went to find Takuma and when he did... The malice from the blade was still in him and he told Satuya many hurtful lies and then he choked him... Of course he was alright but things weren't the same between them afterward.
"Not long after that, Satuya began to glow a lot and the other ninja children would pick on him and make him do chores and things like that. A raid came on the clan and to protect the other children, Satuya was able to retrieve Jaakuna and wielded it. It wasn't like it was with Takuma and the malice didn't hold him for long but it was dangerous all the same. As Satuya grew up, he was still glowing and being treated differently. Not long ago, he was trying to work with the other kids when one of them got into a fight with Satuya. He had him pinned against the wall and Satuya found Jaakuna again. When he wielded it, he said that it wasn't like it was before. He said before the sword was controlling him but now it seemed as if the sword wanted to bond with him. Takuma went to help and they got in their own fight over the sword. The sword suddenly shattered in their grasps and a shard landed in Satuya's eye while a shard landed in Takuma's heart. With those tiny shards within their bodies, they are both able to wield the sword. After that though... um... He uh... turned into a dragon."
Tsume turned his head. "Come again?"
"He... turned into a dragon. A full-blown dragon."
Tsume just stared at him. "You're telling me my son is a dragon?"
"Yeah..."
"And what is Kisola?"
"I don't know, Tsume... all I know is that Inoue and I saw it with our own two eyes and with that, we had to tell him about the issue. We knew it had to do with that powder. I mean, look what it did to you, what could it not do to the babies?"
Tsume seemed skeptical still, considering he just got his daughter back. He didn't want to blow her mind completely out of her ears with all the crazy stuff happening.
"Maybe later... not right now... But, you're saying that there is still a shard of Jaakuna in Satuya's eye and Takuma's heart?"
"That's what we believe."
Tsume thought for a second and then frowned deeply.
"I don't think the shard is in Takuma still... I think he has it tied to him on his hand."
"What do you mean?"
"When I went to tease him a little, I noticed he had a bandage on his hand but he acted like it was a secret for me to even know about it. Maybe he has the shard under the wrappings."
"Then what do we do? The point of us being here is the get our clan back and now that we know you're here, bring you back home."
Tsume laughed. "Are you serious, Mother? You really think Father would accept me back in the clan after almost twenty years? Uh uh, Father is too bound by duty to anything of the sort."
"Your father has changed since he dealt with you. He deals with Satuya in a pleasing way and doesn't shun him at all. He doesn't exactly talk to him as a grandson, but everyone knows there is a special place for him in his heart just as there is a place in his heart for you. I know you may not think that, after what he had done to you, but almost losing Satuya made him come to perspective. He had 'lost' his son, but he didn't need to lose his grandson as well. He's more tame."
"Like a domesticated wolf." Natomi said with a small smile.
Tsume sighed. "I highly doubt that but whatever makes you guys happy. Now, in reference to the clan's whereabouts...." Everyone moved in closer to hear. "The intel I've picked up from my various positions has led me to believe that they are being held in a large prison somewhere. I'm not really sure exactly where they are being held, but I know that for now they are safe from the emperor's crazy scheme about this 'army of ninjas'."
"There was a letter that he sent to us after he attacked the clan that stated that our clan was special to him and that we were going to be used to try and assassinate the ruler of the South."
"Yes, I was there when he was speaking about that to you all. I wouldn't take the offer."
"He said that if we did this he would let the Kiyoshi Clan go." Natomi stated.
"Don't believe him for a second. He might be stupid about his plans but he's not in regards to manipulation. I've had enough time to study him to know that he never just fulfills a promise to the letter. He'll ask you to do this and then if you accomplish it, he will add another ultimatum, then another, and another until the Kiyoshi Clan is nothing left but a few of the children who will no longer even know who they used to be."
"Then what do we do?"
Tsume put his hand to his chin, thinking. Kisola swallowed a little but knew she needed to say something and cleared her throat softly. She looked up through her lashes but no one was paying attention to her. She clenched her fists and breathed in.
"Um... I... I think I might have some information that you all will need."
She looked up and everyone was staring at her.
"Speak then, child." Chekome said.
"I overheard the emperor talking with the medicine woman and at first it was confusing but I think I understand now. He was asking if the powder was ready and she said that it soon would be. He then asked if there was a way to get your clan to do his bidding and also... also to get a hold of Jaakuna. She said that Jaakuna was going to prove harder to get than she anticipated but the control was underway. I believe she is planning on doing something to the food or drinks that will make the clan susceptible to whatever is asked of you."
"When did you hear about this?"
"Not that long ago..."
Tsume stood up. "Then there is no time to waste. Mother, you need to try and convince Father to stall as long as possible. Natomi, tell everyone not to accept any food or drink for a bit."
"And Jaakuna?"
"Kisola said the enchantress is having a hard time getting it-"
"Enchantress? Shintoe isn't an enchantress, she's the medicine woman."
Natomi looked at Tsume with a glare, telling him that there were things that needed to be said for her to understand. Tsume just ignored his friend and put his hands on Kisola's shoulders.
"Believe me when I say that she is no mere medicine woman. Whether you choose to believe she is just that or something more, I will let you decide. Although, with that said, do not trust her with anything that she may give you. If nothing else, please believe that she is not looking out for your greater good."
Kisola nodded and everyone began to disperse. Chekome hugged Tsume tightly as he did her as well.
"I will try to relay the message to your father without revealing I spoke to you."
"And I'll try to do the same with the other clan members... Um... about Takuma?"
"I'll handle Taku. I think it's a long time coming we had ourselves a heart to heart."
"And Satuya?" Kisola asked. "He... I think he's becoming suspicious of things. He asked me about you..."
"If you feel the need to tell him then I don't see why not. In the mean time, let's keep this gathering a secret."
They nodded and left the room.

************************************

Kisola sat on her bed and just stared at the moon through the large window. She couldn't believe the tale she had been told. How her father rescued her but lost her, his suffering under the hand of the emperor, her brother's transformation...
"He turned into a dragon..." she muttered to herself, looking down at her hands. "If he turned into a dragon, then will I?"
"No."
Kisola turned as Shintoe walked into her room.
"Sh-Shintoe-san..."
"I thought I told you to come to me if anything out of the ordinary happened with you, my dear..."
"N-nothing has happened..."
"Then why are you glowing oh so bright, sweetheart?"
Kisola looked at her arms and cursed. Shintoe smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.
"My dear girl, you've been hiding a lot of things from me, haven't you?"
"J-Just this, I swear! Why are you looking at me like that, Shintoe-san?"
"If not for your father bursting into my apothecary fifteen years ago, you would have never known of this life. You and your brother would have been perfected, molded... Now look at you..."
"I don't understand."
"Of course not, deary."
Kisola suddenly felt something in her stomach and was surprised to find Shintoe pressed against her when had been across the room just a moment ago. Kisola tasted blood in her mouth and realized she had been stabbed. Shintoe shoved the knife deeper into the girl and blood erupted as she coughed.
"I need something from your brother and it seems like I'll have to take you out in order for that to happen. It'll sting, sweetie, but you won't die... yet." Shintoe threw Kisola from her onto the bed. "I'll write a note to make it seem like you found out the real truth about your father and felt that you shouldn't live due to your arrival into the world. I'll make it convincing..."
She set about framing Kisola's murder on her own self and looked at the blade that was covered in her blood.
"This will be enough I think..."
She left the room, leaving Kisola on the bed in agony and shock. The shock was wearing off quickly and soon the pain was registering within her body. She couldn't move and she couldn't speak, the pain radiating everywhere within her.