by Jessie Wolf
Looking over at her I finally know what the fight was about between her and my wife all those years ago. The very fact that she was a Priestess and therefore a pacifist, never played into my mind while I, on the other hand, was everything she hated. The fact that I was a Death Dealer and a soldier who only killed as a last resort didn’t play into it. No, what the problem was, was that her sister Matsue had betrayed her faith by marrying the very man they called Death.
Right now I have choice to make. I can either try to heal the rift that our marriage had caused, or destroy the last member of my wife's family, whose opinion ever meant anything to her. Enough so that she would fight her to prove her wrong about me. I send a silent prayer up to my wife.
“Disengage Armor.” I feel my armor turning liquid and flow back over my skin returning to where ever it comes from. Once I was once again only ‘human’ I walked back over to her to stand naked in front of her. Looking down at her and in as calm of a voice as I can, “Priestess Nakatoma Dai Etsu, I stand before you as bare as the day I was born. I give to you my most solemn vow of honor. Neither you nor this family shall ever have to fear me turning the power you have just seen against you. I know that you find my very existence abhorrent so, if you wish I shall only ask for a pair of sandals and spare robes to wear, and then leave you and your family in peace. If I have to, I shall enter into a shrine as a novice, to prove to you that I hate violence as much as you do.”
Chapter 7
The colonel’s retirement
“Well Dee De, what do you think she'll do?”
Hon, I honestly don’t have a clue. When it comes to the human way of thinking I have always been at a loss to understand them, especially the females of the species. I have an easier time understanding the thinking of a Gorkonite.
“The fact you would even find it easier to understand a Reptilian race over the human race says a Hell of a lot for your abilities as a sentient being and not just an AI.”
I don’t know how long I stood there, waiting for Dai Etsu to say or do something. It could have been just minutes, but then again it could very well have been hours for all I know. What I do know is that I am not going to make the first move. Nope. That is all on her. I will not be the one to start hostilities. After what feels like hours she finally looks up at my naked form. I still do not move or say anything. Finally she stands and leaves the room.
“Looks like we’re walking out of here bare assed to the nearest temple or shrine. Dee De, I hope you don’t mind.”
I bloody well don’t think so. I will engage the Armor Skin before I let you freeze our collective ass off, and don’t worry about the oversize tin cans out there. We are more than a match for them. Between our speed, agility and our own firepower... well let’s just say we don’t have to worry.
“Look, if and I mean only if we have to fight, it will not be within the grounds of this compound. I gave my word of honor to Dai Etsu that I will bring no harm to this family. Do I make myself clear on this?! Well, Do I?!”
Yes ma’am, I understand. I was just saying that we could take them is all.
“I Don’t Care! We will not engage unless they fire first, and then our only action will be to evade, not returning fire. Clear?”
Clear.
As I turn to walk out the door, Dai Etsu returns. In her hands are a floor length silk robe and a pair of socks. Looking at me, she says the words I never thought to hear from her. “James Jessie Owens. I have failed both you and my sister Matsue in my calling as a Priestess. I never tried to see you for the true Samurai that you are. All I ever saw was a destroyer of lives and worlds. I did not see the loving husband and father who would do all in his power for his family, including going off to war so others did not have to, but always with the hope that each time would be the last time.”
Then she did something I would never have expected. Dai Etsu Nakatoma wrapped her arms around me in a hug. Then she kissed me on top of my head. She followed all of that with a blessing. In all the years I have known her I have never heard her apologize once, nor admit to making a mistake. Once she is done, she wraps me in the robe and puts the socks on my feet. “Come with me dear. I wish to show you to your rooms. Oh, by the way, what is your name? I don’t think that James is a fitting name for such a beautiful flower of womanhood as you.”
Smiling up at her, I reply, “My name is Maiha Mana Owens-Steel Hart, but from what Kina and Gin Have told me, plus Suzume Walking Water, my name will become Nakatoma once you approve of me.”
“A very beautiful name for my very beautiful niece. Yes my dear, I know who you were and that, my dear, is all that matters. The Goddess has given you and me a second chance at what should have been, but was not. Now you and I both must do all that we can to save, first your beloved wife’s family and my own, but it is now yours as well. I know that, inside of you resides the power of the God of Death. I have seen it with my own eyes, but you do not crave that power, as I once thought. In fact, you hate it with all of your heart. Yes my dear, you are now and forever Deaths Own Daughter.”
She had a sad smile on her face. I could see the pain of loss in her eyes and hear it in her voice. The constant infighting of the rest of the family had taken its toll on her soul. This small, but proud woman was made from the finest of material. In her, a Steel of the finest quality. This is no woman to play with. I can see in her the role model I will need if I am to become the Head of House for this shattered High Family.
“I see in you a blending of your wife, daughter, and yourself. It is this blending that I speak of that makes you a truly new and wondrous person. One who will do great and fearsome works in the path that is her new life. You will be the salvation of not only this family, but the Human race. The Goddess has shown me this and I will do all that I can to make sure you are ready. Now, enough dilly-dallying. It is late and we all need our sleep, as the sun will be rising on a new day in a few hours.”
With that, she opened the door to her rooms and led me out into the hall. Once there I saw neither my new maids nor Suzume. At my questioning look Dai Etsu told me she had given orders to the J8 for them to go on to bed, as she did not know how long we would be and that she would see me to my rooms when done. We walked down the hall to an intersection and, once there we turned to the left and continued down that hall until coming to a door that would give a power suit pause.
Seeing the look on my face, Dai Etsu placed her hand on the handle and, with a gentle push, opened the door as if it weighed nothing. Leading me inside, she showed me my rooms. First was the sitting room, or as some call it, the receiving room. This one room was as big as the apartment that I had planned to rent while on Hades. Next was the bedroom, which was almost as big as the sitting room. Off to one side was a changing or robing room, with more clothes than I think I could wear in a lifetime, all of which were kimonos of one type or another, and all the undergarments to go with them. Just beyond that was a bathroom that was big enough to handle five or six people at one time.
When the tour was done and we had returned to the sitting room, Dai Etsu turned to me and said. “James, from this point on I shall only refer to you as my niece Maiha Mana, the heir of your daughters’ and wife’s blood lines to the Head of House Nakatoma and the Nakatoma Family. I will also treat you as what you appear to be, a teenage girl who was raised in a household with no female presence. Please do not hold this against me. It is for your own good. You will have to appear as a young lady of breeding, a member of the Ruling Family and, most importantly, the Head of House for the Nakatoma Family. Now if you will forgive me it is late and I am not as young as I once was. I will see you in the morning. Your maids will come by to wake you and prepare you for the day. Until then, sleep well my dear.” And with a kiss on my check she headed for the door.
“Goodnight and pleasant dreams Reverend Mother. May the morning find you in good health.” I tell her and then, when see she is looking, I place my hands together and bow from the waist.
“We will
work on your bow tomorrow young one. While the depth and duration is good, your form is sloppy. It shows me you have spent too much time with your grandfather's people. I know your grandparents would not accept such sloppiness from you and neither shall I. Now, good night.” were her parting words to me.
I stand there with my mouth hanging open. I thought I did it perfectly. Then again, that woman always could find something wrong with whatever I did when it came to my manners. The infuriating part was she was always right. Both she and my wife could do that to me with little or no effort. It has always driven me crazy. Well it looks like she finally gets the chance to teach me the correct way after all these years, and with that thought in my head, I get ready for bed.
The next morning
I must have been a whole lot more tired than I thought, because the last thing I remember is saying good night to my great aunt, then climbing into bed. Now I hear Kina and Gin talking softly. They are wondering where the kimono and underthings I was wearing last night are.
“I know that I double knotted the laces on her corset. There should have been no way for her to get out of it without help. I highly doubt that her Ladyship would stoop to help someone remove a kimono, let alone a corset and underthings.” That was Gin.
“But where are they? I can see her getting off the kimono, socks, tights, and panties, but she would have had to remove the corset and she is neither wearing it, nor is it anywhere it to be found.” Chimes in Kina.
“Will you two be quiet? If you wake her up after the day and night she had yesterday we’ll all catch hell, and trust me aunties, we do not want that young lady over there pissed off at us. You have not seen, nor had her anger pointed at you. Believe me. That is not something you want to face.” And there is Suzume. Bless the child for trying to protect her aunt Gin. Wait a minute... she said aunties, as in plural, more than one. Could Kina also be her aunt?
“I have dealt with far more of these High Families brats then you, child. I have yet to see one that needed to be feared. Once you have tanned their hide once or twice, they all understand who is really in charge. It will be no different with this one, you’ll see.” Now that is an unknown voice. Just who the hell is in my rooms?
I decide to put an end to this conversation by rolling over. I sat up, and then stretched. “Mmmmm…. Good morning Kina, Gin and Suzume. Oh, hello. Just who might you be? Well just don’t stand there. What is your name? Come, come you had the spine to call me a ‘High Families brat’ not a moment ago. Where is your bravado now woman?” Yup. I was mad and in no mood to put up with B.S. As I sat there waiting for this woman to tell me just who she was, I decide to put on the robe I had taken off and laid at the foot of the monster that was my bed. For some reason, being naked in front of these women doesn’t seem to bother me.
“Dee De has that fracking behavioral programing done some more rewriting of my brain?”
Ok honey, I think I have a handle on what it’s doing. Whenever you do something that you will be expected to do, or you act in a certain way for the first time, the behavioral program picks it up and then, when you go to sleep, it hardwires that behavior into your mind. This way it becomes second nature to you. Such as your being naked in front of your maids during certain times.
“Ok I can deal with that now that I know. Thank you.”
I had climbed out of bed by this time. All I had on was the robe, which my great aunt had loaned me last night. I walked up to the woman who was the current target for my anger. I watched as my three ladies from last night all backed up out of the way. I can tell that they want to see how either I, or she, will handle this situation. “I asked you a question. Now either answer it like you should, or see if you can, as you put it ‘Once you have tanned their hide once or twice they all understand who is really in charge’. Well? I’m waiting.”
Hey. What did I tell you about using the combat mode when dealing with your maids?
“Don’t worry I won’t need it, but I have to set an example for the household staff, and this bitch just earned the right. Now back off and let me deal with this my way.”
Ok. Just don’t kill her.
Yup. I just knew she would go for the heavy handed approach. As she reached out to grab my ear saying “Now listen here missy! I will not have you disrespecting me with that tone of voice. I am Morine Nia Gemma but you will call me Misses Morine do ……Yaaeeeeiiii!” was all she got out. The reason for this was due to the fact that I had grabbed her hand and flipped her. Once she hit the floor, the impact knocked the breath out of her.
Looking down at her, I tell her very bluntly “Nia, you are fired. Once you have regained your ability to breathe you will go to your quarters and clear out all of your belongings. I will give you until 1430 this afternoon to be off the estate. If you have not done so by then, the guards will have orders to shoot you on sight. Do I make myself clear?” I asked her, rather sweetly. The only one to have heard me use that tone before was Suzume, and she had to fight to keep from wincing. With that I walked away from Nia, leaving her on the floor. I saw Gin begin to go give her a hand, but I put a stop to it before it started. “Gin? Do you wish to join your sister in seeking new employment?”
I headed for the bathroom to take care of my morning toilet. After taking care of business and having a hot soak, I returned to the dressing room. When I entered I was greeted by all four of them from earlier. I did not like where this was going, so I decided to put a stop to it right now. “I thought I had informed you of your dismissal earlier Nia? Why are you still here? Did the three of you think to persuade me to show leniency? Well? Speak up! I want answers and I want them now!” Oh yeah they can tell I’m pissed now, as they are all wincing at the tone of my voice.
Shaking, Nia speaks up “Lady Nakatoma Maiha Mana, I beg your forgiveness. My sister and niece both tried to tell me how you were not like the others I have had to deal with in the past, but in my arrogance I thought I knew better. I assumed you were just another spoiled child who has been sent to her great aunts for a few months to learn some manners before being shipped off to some temple. Can you ever forgive me? I see now that you are no ordinary child of the High Families.”
I noticed that the other three are standing behind her. With her head bowed, she does not see me look at each of them in turn. They each nod their head yes. Suzume has an almost pleading look in her eyes, so I know that something is up. Well, if they want her here then I will know why. “Alright. Suzume, I can tell from the look in your eyes you all have a reason for me giving Nia a second chance. So spit it out.”
Suzume steps around her aunt, who tries to stop her from speaking, to stand in front of me. “My Lady, the reason that I would ask of you to give my aunt Nia a second chance is that she has nowhere else to go. She has lost all of her family in the service of the Nakatoma Family. Her husband was a House Troop A.P.S. pilot who died defending Hades from a pirate attack twenty years ago. Her only son left for the North American Military Academy ten years ago, only to die here on Hades protecting Lady Dai Etsu from an assassin sent by one of the lesser members of the Family. Finally, her own daughter who was born within these very walls, died shortly after her eighteenth birthday, while protecting her Ladyship. So you see my Lady, all she has left is her service to Family Nakatoma.” As she finished she bowed to me, then stepped back behind her aunt.
Suzume had used an argument that would appeal to my sense of justice. Yes, I would give this woman a second chance, but it would come at a price. One that I think Nia is more than willing to pay. “Nia, I am willing to forgive you and to keep you on as one of the maids here in this House, but there is one thing you must do first. If you are willing to do it you can stay. What is your answer?”
“I will do whatever you wish mistress. What must I do? How many fingers must I cut off?” was all she said.
So she was of the old school Yakuza. Perfect. Just the one I need to deliver my message. “Apologize.” That was all I said.
I swear, I thought he
r head was going to pop off of her neck. “Excuse me my Lady, did you say apologize?” At my smiling nod she bows to me saying “I am deeply sorry Lady Maiha. I should not have assumed that you were like the others. I wronged you in that assuming. Please forgive me?”
“You are forgiven. Now do you see why your niece told you not to get on my bad side Nia?” I asked of her.
“Yes I do Lady Maiha. Not only will you put the one who angers you on their backside, you will gladly show them to the door as you do it. If you were a Yakuza Oban they would rule the world, but if you were the commissioner of police you would be a Death sentence.” She replied with a bow far deeper and more formal than any I have seen yet. Bingo! I found my teacher, or I should say, one of my teachers.
“Shall we get me dressed ladies? I need food and coffee, and I don’t think my aunt would approve of me going down to breakfast in just the clothes that my maker gave me at birth.” That drew a giggle from them all.
It was Gin who answered for them. “No. She does require all who eat in the dining room to be properly dressed.” This brought even more giggling, and so began what would become my daily routine. Wake up; take a bath, followed by fifteen to twenty minutes of being stretched out for my corset, then make-up and finally whatever I was to wear for the day. For now though it looks like kimonos will be the only thing I’ll be wearing for some time to come. After I was dressed and my ladies pronounced me fit to be seen, they decided to let me go get something to eat.
Now I will say this... I have never been a morning person, and my sudden jump across the great gender divide, and age regression, has not changed that one flipping bit. I think that was what finally got through to my ladies that, if I didn’t get some food and coffee in short order, one and all would be unemployed. That or it might have been me throwing the nail file at the J8 when it had been sent to see if I would be joining my great aunt for breakfast. I don’t know, or care. All I knew was I was finally on my way to eat.