Chapter Twenty Five - Return

"Hey… hey mister. Mr. Sojiro? Wake up!"

Sojiro slowly opened his eyes and looked tiredly up at the little, energetic girl above him. What time was it? The girl's happy blue eyes stared at him earnestly, seeming to meticulously watch his every move. "You promised you'd play with me before you left. Mom said you shouldn't because of your wounds, but you promised so you've got to. Either that or I get to break your pinky."

"What? Why would you do that? It hasn't done anything wrong," Sojiro whined playfully. The girl screwed up her lips and placed her hands on her hips.

"We made a pinky promise and if you don't keep your promise then I get to break your pinky." She nodded her head knowingly, smiling for a moment before grabbing his hand and jumping up and down with it. Sojiro groaned.

"I wish you have told me that before. I really like my pinky finger," Sojiro laughed, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "I can play today for a little while, but I've got to get changed first." Sojiro eyed his clothing longingly, but looked away as the girl began to jump on the western style bed he had slept in.

"Hey mister, are you going back to see Yasue?" She jumped up high, landing on her butt, and bouncing back into a standing position to continue her play. Sojiro nodded to her. "So the nine years are almost up? Are you gonna kiss her when you see her?" She landed on her stomach with an 'oomph' and looked up at him in an almost dreamy way.

"I suppose. I might say hello first though. Don't you think it would be good if I said hello first?" There was a silence as the girl thought and then she nodded, standing up and jumping again.

"I hope you get there all right. Are you still afraid those scary Goony guys will get ya?" She stopped bouncing and looked at Sojiro in all seriousness, imploring his answer.

"No, I believe the Gundashi will leave me alone now. But you shouldn't worry your little head over it."

Her laughter filled the room once again as she flopped down onto the bed.

"But I should get changed now if you want me to play before I leave." Sojiro watched her nod quickly and then scamper from the room, closing the door quickly behind her. He smiled. She had been by his bedside when he had awoke the first time, her finger poised to poke him, her eyes glowing with fascination at his wounds. He'd been almost surprised at how it reminded him of Yasue.

Sojiro picked up his red gi and white hakama. He had grown out of the other one a while back and had to buy a new one, but he didn't realize it's likeness to the Battousai's until after he had purchased it and hadn't wanted to bother those kind salespeople again to exchange for another. He did manage to find a white western shirt like his old one.

The inn had been kind enough to take him in when they found him on the streets. He had been right, the former Gundashi members were a bit disgruntled that Sojiro had broken the group, but thankfully, when he asked then of Yasue, they didn't care who he was talking about. The journey home would be long, ten days, but he knew she would still keep her promise to him.

The momento she had given him was still clipped to his jacket an he was always touching it nostalgically, remembering. Unfortunately, some of the blue jewels had fallen out and it was no longer in very good shape, but he would never lose it.

It was warm outside. It was spring, just after the cold winter. He spotted the young girl off in the street and went to play with her for the last time.

--

Yasue sat down heavily on the floor, leaning against a wooden beam and sighing. She was exhausted. Between the Onkoshi and Tsana, she was officially beat. She closed her eyes and rested for a moment, feeling the clench in her feet slowly let go. It was such a nice day outside and the Onkoshi had been packed non-stop and with Tsana running around like her hair was on fire just complicated things even more.

She swallowed and opened her eyes, noticing a man standing near the end of the trail. She stood up and began walking towards him slowly. "Can I help you sir?" she called out to him. She felt so sluggish today. Her mind began to cultivate things to cook up for dinner.

"Um… maybe," he yelled back and began to laugh a little. Suddenly, she stopped, her face lifting up into a wide smile and any sort of design for a meal lost immediately. She screamed his name and became to race towards him, exhaustion gone and replaced by pure adrenaline, her legs stretching to the point where she was vaguely afraid of ripping her kimono up the seam. Finally he was home and she crashed into his arms and knocked him back, falling down heavily onto the ground. Like before, Yasue hugged him so tightly he thought he might break in two just from the sheer force.

"I missed you so much, Sojiro. You have no idea how happy I am you're back." A tear fell onto his white shirt and Sojiro looked up at her face, wiping the tears away. He slowly pulled her back down to him and gave her a much gentler embrace. "I'm so glad you came back to me. Please don't ever leave me again."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"I promise. Never again," Sojiro whispered. The beating of her heart was fast against his chest and he could only guess how fast his must be going. It was wonderful to have her back in his arms like this, just like before. The love he felt in her hug almost brought him to tears, and the realization he completely understood why reinforced that urge. Never again would he be able to leave her. His grip tightened around her narrow back as he remembered things from before. Soon she would know what he went through on the trip, but as much as he would hate seeing her worry over him, he desperately wanted to tell her everything that had happened and all about his encounters with the Gundashi members.

"There's someone else who wants to meet you. Come on," Yasue said happily, standing up and holding out her hand to him with a smile. With a quick yank, Sojiro was on his feet and racing after an excited Yasue as she sprinted speedily towards the home. She turned to him and grinned, holding him close to her and looking up to him. Her eyes glittered in that mischievous way, just like before, and Sojiro felt excitement welling in his stomach. "She's wanted to see you for a long time." She dragged him a little further to show him a young girl dancing around a spinning top and giggling.

The little girl looked up and stopped jumping around, her eyes turning stoically from Yasue to Sojiro and then back to Yasue again. With an energetic nod from Yasue, the little girl squealed and raced towards Sojiro, crashing into his legs and squeezing them tightly.

"Daddy!" she screeched and Sojiro's head whipped to Yasue and he stared at her in shock. A small blush to the cheeks was the only answer he needed from her and then the little girl was in his arms, her small body light. She grabbed his cheeks and smooshed them together with the palms of her hands. "Daddy, you're silly." He laughed at her comment and kissed her nose.

"How old are you now?" he asked her.

"Eight!" she yelled, holding up seven fingers and staring at them in a perplexed manner. He smiled and looked over at Yasue, giving her a quick kiss. "What's your name, daddy?"

"Sojiro. What's yours?"

"Tsana. Mommy says my last name is Seta. So I'm Tsana Seta."

"Beautiful. That's a really pretty name. Do you like it?"

The girl nodded and kicked her legs. "Can I go play now?" she asked and Sojiro nodded, placing her gently on the ground. She ran back to the top and spun it again, resuming her play of dancing around the rotating toy with a giggle. They watched her for a moment, Yasue looking serene while Sojiro looked somewhat uneasy. He hadn't expected a child. Granted, he'd been told at every inn that the children loved to play with him, but he had never quite felt an attachment to them. Children were so much more complicated than adults.

Yasue turned to him and grabbed his hand. "Come. There is still something I have to show you." But he didn't follow her. Instead, he pulled his hand from hers and began to fiddle with his gi. He looked up at her and smiled, showing her the hair ornament he had given her. The small clip was put in her hair and he smiled again, grabbing her face and kissing her.

"I love you," he whispered, hugging her again. She sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest comfortably. "All right. What did you have to show me?" His hand was taken once again and he was dragged towards his old room.

"Mr. Notaru stopped by shortly after you left and gave me this. He said something about it being an answer to your question. Here." She showed him an envelope and sat down, instructing Sojiro to do the same as she leaned over his shoulder to see the letter. "What does it say?"

"You remember how I said that I didn't know what to do now that my sword was no longer needed? I asked Mr. Notaru to do some investigating on the Battousai since he had been thrown into the same situation. It says he is currently living at the Kamiya dojo with Kaoru Kamiya. Also that he never kills with his sword and is protecting the weak as a way of atonement. Atoning?" Sojiro folded the letter up and sighed. "Does that mean I should do the same?" he looked at Yasue. She nodded and smiled, leaning over to him.

"We've got a little girl now. You're atonement could be raising her with me. You will raise a healthy child with me as an atonement for your sins." Her head rested lightly on his chest. For once in a long time he was truly happy.

On his trip he had been searching for a truth to live by. Mr. Himura protected the weak and Mr. Shishio destroyed them. But they both had something in common. They both had a woman that loved them. Sojiro didn't need a truth to live by anymore. He didn't need to save the weak or kill them, he just needed Yasue. He had figured that out on his trip. Now that he was home with her, the whole journey seemed to be so useless, stupid. He missed the birth of his own child just to realize what he needed was exactly what he had left.

Sojiro held Yasue tightly and smiled. If his atonement for his sins was to raise a healthy child, then he'd raise the healthiest one there was and maybe later he would be able to witness the birth of another. He was going to make Yasue happy to matter what. He only wanted to see her smile. She kept her promise by being content in his absence, now he would keep his promise and always be by her side.

I am Sojiro Seta of the Juppongatana

I'm just Sojiro Seta, perhaps someday I'll be more.

Daddy!

I love you Sojiro.

"I love you Yasue."