Plan

Some time after my 'decease', a rebellion sprouted within my clan, the Kaizokuren. My mother and the Fukuchou were some of its main supporters, granting the movement enough influence to destabilize our island.

My father's side couldn't risk sending a great number of warriors to the battles and leaving themselves exposed, so the war got dragged on for far longer than it should have.

Also, apparently Kuruma Fukuchou's disappearance was believed to have been an assassination to silence opposition, further damaging my father's reputation and preventing his side from fully bringing down the Fukuchou in fear of the backlash.

With my return I inadvertently brought enough hints to unveil the true destiny of Kuruma. The rebellion will soon be suppressed, and my clan will be able to go all out in the war.

༻──⋆༺𓆩⋆𓆪༻⋆──༺

"Let me make sure I'm seeing this right, lass. Your father is the primary cause of this war, and if we deal with him, it will all be over, correct?"

"Don't be crazy." Kaji intervenes. "We aren't going to kill Hoshina's father."

"I didn't say anything about killing. Capturing him would be good enough."

"You won't be able to do either," adds Hoshina. "You are strong, Mr. Fuhai, but my father is invincible, especially with his one of a kind armor and staff."

Kaji nods. "Our idea is a safer bet, though still risky: during their next attack, we'll take a page from their own book to—"

"And a book is…?"

Kaji grunts. "We are going to copy their plan and make use of the lowered security during battle to get to the core and break the steer so they can't move their ship anymore. Then we migrate our own away from then and they won't be able to wage war ever again."

"Will you guide us to it?" Raba asks Hoshina.

"Yes. But I've brought with me a map just in case. Kaji knows how to interpret it."

He looks at her, eyes wide. Hoshina grins back.

He's surprised I planned ahead like this. I'm sure he would've teased me about this in a different context.

"Until then, I'll stay in my room so that Mugen doesn't suspect anything. If, by the time you get to my island, I'm not at the border waiting for you, proceed without me."

Raba raises a hand. "Ya know, for this to work we need to convince our people to lend us the second steed, and to allow Fuhai to go with us on the attack rather than stay here to defend."

"Yeah, I guess." Kaji agrees begrudgingly. "I'll admit, a mission like this would be tough without someone like Fuhai, unless Hoshina can sneak a few armors for us."

Ah, that's a good idea. Too late now…

Kaji looks at Mr. Fuhai. "If they refuse to support our plan, can you still come with me on our aircraft?"

"Nah, lad. If our side doesn't plan for my absence and reorganize our defenses, the enemy will take control of our own core. Our success in the mission will become irrelevant."

Kaji clicks his tongue. "So the only alternative is for us to convince the heads of our clans?"

"Don't worry, lad. I'm our biggest ace, my word counts for something. And Raba's popular with the masses, so his voice is also quite loud. However…" He snaps his fingers. "This is your plan, so you'll need to do the main talking."

"Me? But I'm the son of Giaro, everyone hates me."

"No one in the capital knows about you!" Raba snarls. "I-I mean… you will come as a blank slate, ya know? You'll have us advocating for you, and the background of surviving a fall into the void, gaining a magic arm and learning the secrets of the world and the silver gods."

Fuhai spits a chuckle. "All you need to do is resist the urge to punch the codgers in the face."

༻──⋆༺𓆩⋆𓆪༻⋆──༺

Kaji and Hoshina are about to board the aircraft, until Fuhai comes out of nowhere.

"A quick confession before you go, lad. It's bout your father."

Kaji narrows his eyes. "Proceed."

"I accepted bribes, however, the real reason I never arrested him was because of your mother."

"Yeah, I guessed as much already." Kaji starts turning away.

"Have you ever wondered why I never tried to find and punish him for abandoning Garasa?"

Kaji freezes. It takes him a while to gather the strength to open his mouth. "Why?"

"After you showed him the robot dog or whatever you call it, he came to me, worried that it might end up hurting you."

"Tell me you're joking…" he mumbles.

"Back then, magic gadgets were a state secret, and all had to be confiscated and sealed away for the safety of everyone. That dog thing turned hostile when we tried to take it."

Kaji is reminded of what he learned from a wise geezer. "It detected you as thieves."

"Yup. The thing got pretty savage, shooting out thunderbolts and such. With mere lances as weapons, it was very tough for us to deal with it. Three men died that day, including—"

"My father."

Fuhai nods. "We had to keep the secret about the weapons, so the casualties were labeled as disappearances. Unfortunately, your father's reputation didn't do him any favors."

Kaji stops when he realizes he's ruffling his hair again. There was a time when someone else did it to him…

He's now feeling that same hand again. Its touch reopens the scar in his chest. The void left after so many of his loved ones left. It's starting to burn.

A pair of arms wrap around him. One hand caresses his chest.

And the pain starts to fade.

He exhales and looks back at Fuhai.

"Thank you for telling me this."

"Geez, you sure you didn't land on your head when you fell? Can't believe how calmly you take some of these things."

Kaji snarls.

"Don't test your luck, asshole."

"Yeah, asshole." Hoshina mimics him in a silly, adorable tone, sticking out her tongue.

༻──⋆༺𓆩⋆𓆪༻⋆──༺

Kaji lowers the aircraft, deliberately slow.

Time to part ways, again.

He tightly embraces her and feels her heartbeat.

"I'll miss you," he whispers.

She pecks his neck, then his cheek.

Kaji lifts her chin and gives her a tender kiss. As he begins to pull away, she draws him back for a long, breath-stealing one.