31 Calm before the Storm

Well, here's another chapter. I'm really sorry for the releases, I'm strugling with writers anxiety and it's becoming really hard for me to write this chapters and I'm becoming too critical of what I write sometimes being stuck on a prhase for an hour, I'll try to get better, until then enjoy the chapter.

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People strolled through the busy streets of the Flower capital. Kids played in the streets while mothers gossiped with one another. Though the sun had barely risen, the city was as vibrant as ever.

Amidst all the people going about their day, a tall black haired man wearing a yukata and wooden sandals walked with a samurai's resolve. Wearing the same clothes, Yasu wobbled behind him, his head hanging to the side.

"We should hurry up. They're going to be full when we get there at this pace" Shimazu said without turning back to look at his son, only receiving a grunt as a response. Hearing a snore behind him, a sigh escaped his lips. For a few years now, every time his son came to the capital, it had been an arduous task to wake him up.

Still, every time he looked back, the spatial awareness of his son surprised him. He walked as a drunkard, but not even once had he bumped into anyone or gotten lost in the crowd.

After some time, they finally arrived at their destination, a sizable building. A blue cloth bearing the word 'Sentō' hung from the entrance. It was the local bathhouse, thankfully, it seemed like not many people were inside yet.

It wasn't the city's central bathhouse, this one was smaller, but he had always preferred this one.

"Looks like we're not late at all, hopefully Mrs.Ets-" Before he could finish talking, Yasu ran past him, entering the building. Ignoring Yasu's childish behavior, who appeared like a walking corpse a moment before, Shimazu calmly walked into the building.

Inside the bathhouse, at one side of the entrance, a sweet old lady sat knitting behind a counter. It didn't take long for her to notice Shimazu. Looking at his eyes, the old lady smiled. "Oh Shimazu, dear. I saw little Yasu running straight to the lockers and figured you weren't that far behind." 

Reaching under the counter, the small lady pulled two wooden blocks, keys for the bathhouse lockers.

Smiling at the thought of her calling her son 'little', Shimazu reached inside his yukata, dropped a bunch of silver coins on the counter and took the keys. "Thanks Mrs.Etsuko. Also, sorry for Yasu's behavior."

Waving her hand in dismissal, the old lady chuckled, her voice, weathered by the years but still genuine and energetic. "Forget it, forget it, let kids be kids. My bones may be old, but that doesn't mean I have to be grumpy hahahaha!"

Bowing, Shimazu walked off with a slight smile on his face.

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The soft cloth gently rested on his shoulders as he took off his yukata. The dampness in the air entered his lungs, and with every breath, his muscles relaxed in anticipation.

 Relaxed, a small object pinched at his senses, Moving his hand over his shoulder, a wooden object landed on the palm of his hand. "Thanks" He could feel as his father got closer from behind, throwing him his locker key.

Putting his yukata and sandals inside the locker and closing it, Yasu wrapped his waist with a towel, preparing to have a bath. "Those scars haven't got any smaller I see".

"Not one bit" Oden had also once asked about the scars on his back, those two parallel lines running down his back that, according to his father, he had had since he was a baby. He couldn't see them anyway, so it didn't really matter to him.

And now they came to have a bath and relax so that was precisely what he was going to do.

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""Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh"" Both father and son sighed in relaxation as the water enveloped their bodies, taking every possible burden off their shoulders.

After enduring being in that castle the night before, he needed to relax really badly. That ninja had helped, but only for a little while.

"How long will you be staying this time?" His father's voice broke the silence between them, directly to the point.

Resting his shoulders on the edge on the bath and throwing his head back, Kaido and the man that followed him came to mind, their presence being like lighthouses shining in the dark.

"Not long..." Yasu trailed off at the end, sinking into his thoughts.

Shivers ran down his back. Something didn't feel quite right. As soon as he could, he would get a horse and go back to Kuri.

"...I need to go back and talk to Oden"

Hearing Oden's name, Shimazu clicked his tongue. "Again with Oden, why are you still with that man? He is the laughingstock of the country. Following that man doesn't bring the best of reputations"

That was a good question. Why was he still with him?

"I..." He didn't really have an answer to give his father, but still, thinking of Hiyori, Momo, Toki, and the others, he also didn't want to leave them yet "...I guess it's a pretty stupid decision to stay with Oden"

"You've always been very skilled. The other Shōguns would die to have you with them. I can talk with some fri-"

"But...it's my decision to make" Cutting off his father, Yasu continued, shrugging his shoulders.

Shimazu looked at Yasu for a moment, like he had grown a second head.

"Are you sure? We could probably get you something inside the capital. You'd be closer to home"

"Totally sure" 

He had a home in Kuri with the others, so there was no need for him to move.

Shimazu closed his eyes, sinking deeply into the bath. "You have already decided, haven't you?...that's... good" His voice was quieter than before. Tired, he leaned his back against the edge of the bath.

Yasu only nodded in response, letting both of them relax in the waters surrounded by silence.

It was a good feeling...a really good one.

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An orange hue had spread through the sky hours ago as the sun carefully hid away from view with each passing moment.

Getting off his horse, the Kozuki castle towered before Yasu. It was always refreshing to see the familiar building.

Entering the castle, only empty rooms greet him, the faint laguther fo the kids reach him but nothing else, expanding his Haki the only presence he could feel in the building was that of Toki on the upper floor. The kids were out in the back playing, but no one else seemed to be there.

All of them were gone, and that rarely ever happened.

The wood of the stairs groaned as he went up to the top floor of the castle. Up on the floor, Toki stood on the balcony, looking at the expanse of Kuri from up the hill where the castle was.

Yasu made his way to her. Not one sound came from the wood this time, as if afraid "Yasu" Toki spoke without turning to face him "You're back earlier than usual" again she spoke, her voice stern, almost questioning him. Not once did she take her eyes off of Kuri.

"You should have stayed there some more days" Toki continued.With every word it felt as if the room got colder and colder.

Hearing her tone of voice, goosebumps traveled down his body, making his hair stand up.

"Where is everyone? Did something happen?" His whole throat felt dry, and his words almost refused to come out.

He got no response from Toki, only silence.

Every second in silence just made Yasu more uneasy. Before, it had been a challenge to utter a few words, but now, it was impossible.

"Kaido's and Orochi's men took Hyogoro, one of Oden's friends..." Her hand moved to her chest, her voice filled with sorrow.

"...They killed his men for trying to protect him, they shot them to death for protecting their boss... they did the same with his wife"

She maintained that stoic stance that inside her a storm of emotions was raging, it was not hard for Yasu to feel it, sadness, fear, frustration, anger... but also happiness and hope.

"Oden and the rest...they went after Orochi and Kaido" 

Yasu's whole body instantly felt cold, his hands trembled, Toki couldn't see his hands, still, he hid them inside his hakama. He shouldn't have left, he needed to get to them before something happened.

"When did they leave? How long has it been?" He tried not to raise his voice too much. Even so, Toki looked at him over her shoulder.

"Not long" That's all he needed to hear.

Not wasting any more time, he ran past Toki, jumping off the balcony rail, letting himself be at the mercy of gravity through the wide gap that separated him from the ground.

Crashing on the ground, dirt was thrown everywhere, startling the horse he came with. Wasting no time, Yasu climbed on the back of the horse, still frightened by the fall.

"Go! Come on!" 

It didn't take long for Bakura Town to fade in the distance with the moon starting to come out of hiding, time wasn't on his side. He refused to be left behind.

As the figure of Yasu disappeared, Toki stood on the balcony with a letter in hand as she watched dark clouds gather in the sky. She was happy for her husband to stand up after all this time, but still she knew, one way or another, after this night things would never be the same.