Friends are for
(Eli – Morning - Same day as Nozomi is talking to Tsuki)
"Well at least the damage wasn't heavy." Eli sighed 'But we can't take another attack like that.' Eli thought before turning to the soldier standing in her tent. "Tell the troops to block the bridge on this side, I also want defences to prevent them to climbing up and attacking us again and double the guards."
"Yes, my lady." The soldier bowed before leaving.
"I need to let Nozomi know about this right away." Eli thought as her leg stung 'I better include this to, even if I am going to be in trouble over it.' Eli thought as she looked at her bandaged leg.
(Umi – Evening - same day)
"Are you ok Umi?" Honoka asked the blunette as the pair recovered their stances for another training fight.
"Yes Lady Honoka, why do you ask?" Umi asked confused.
"You seemed a bit off today." Honoka asked concerned "Umi, is something on your mind?"
"It's nothing." Umi replied hoping her friend wouldn't push the subject.
"When someone says its nothing it means it's something Umi."
"I'm pretty sure I said that to you Lady Honoka."
"Is it wrong?"
"No, it isn't." Umi said as she let out a defeated sigh.
"So what is wrong?"
"I'm conflicted." Umi muttered.
"How so?"
"It's complicated."
"What is it?"
"I promised Dia I would save her sister, but that means I have to go on that mission with Nico and the others and my honour won't allow that." Umi sighed placing her free hand on her head, the blunette could feel the headband Kotori had made for her.
'And I have to leave Kotori behind.' Umi thought to herself as she left her hand on the soft fabric a moment longer.
"What about Kotori?" Honoka asked shocked "Who's going to look after her and Saki while you're off doing that?"
'Yes, who will protect your Lady while your away?' The mystery voice asked.
"She would be safe here while I was away." Umi muttered copying her honours words in her head, though she didn't feel much conviction in her words as she spoke.
'And you did promise Dia, whats your honour worth if you can't keep a promise.' The Ronin's honour added.
"But she's not going to be here!" Honoka countered "Nozomi's heading off to meet the Ohara's and Lady Minami is going with her and Kotori will likely be going too and even if she's not Kira could still try and kill or capture her here or at the Ohara's, why would you leave Kotori alone?"
'She's right.' The mystery voice said in a growl 'She needs you.'
'What good is she if can't fulfil a promise!' Umi's honour growled back 'If she can't keep a promise, she's got no place next to Kotori.'
"If she's going to the Ohara's she'll have you to watch her and if she's here she'll have the troops to protect her." Umi said with a sigh though her heart still twisted and she could hear her honour growl at her.
"Come on we need to practice." Umi said take up her stance.
The Blunette saw her friend's shoulders tense up slightly before she brought her sword up and went to strike the blunettes shoulder, Umi brought up her sword up to block the strike, as she the swords struck, she could see a gloomy and frustrated look to the gingers features "You can talk and fight at the same time." The ginger interrupted with scowl on her face.
"Lady Honoka…?"
Before Umi could speak further the ginger broke the lock and went for a thrust at the Ronin, Umi jumped back slightly and parried the strike away.
"Why would you leave Kotori alone?" Honoka asked again, her words echoing the mystery voices word in the Ronin's own head.
"She's not going to be alone." Umi countered voicing her honours words in her head as she tried to go for a strike to her friend's side trying to stop the duel quickly, in case they hurt themselves.
Honoka stepped back from the strike bringing her sword downwards, Umi brought her sword up to block it and this time when the swords struck each other she could hear a clang of metal in her head.
'I've wanted to do this for a while.' Umi heard the mystery voice said with a growl.
'Finally we agree on something.' Umi's honour countered.
"What do you mean she won't be alone?" Honoka asked breaking the lock.
"She'll have you and the others with her."
"And what if we get attacked and you're not there to protect her?" Honoka asked as she swung the sword toward the Ronin's neck.
"She'll have you and the others to protect her." Umi countered as she blocked the strike.
Both girl's words being echoed in Umi's head, the gingers wording being echoed by the mystery voice and the blunettes by her honour and the pairs strikes with their sword being echoed in her mind between her honour and the mystery voice.
'They would be better than you.' Umi's honour added, before the blunette pushed Honoka back and went to strike the gingers legs.
"You would be better at it than me." Umi said, though she felt her gut churn and she felt a tinge of frustration in her heart though the blunette wasn't sure at what.
Honoka just managed to jump back and parried the blow off 'That was a weak strike.' The mystery voice said in her head before the ginger spoke "Would she?" Honoka asked taking a step back.
'Yes, would she?'
"How could she not?" Umi growled.
"You are the best fighter of all of use and you are more dedicated to Kotori then all of us." Honoka said dropping her sword to her side.
"And yet when she needed me the most I wasn't there!" Umi shouted her eyes stinging.
'You're a failure.' Umi's honour said in her head.
"And neither was I." Honoka countered her head bowed slightly "You aren't the only one who wasn't there to protect her, we were all away from her then, my sister failed her, Rin did, I did, we were all deceived…"
Umi felt a bubbling in her core "But you didn't promise her or swear on your honour."
"That promise is a given, she is my best friend."
"Then do what I couldn't, protect her, keep her safe, please." Umi said her voice cracking slightly at the end.
'You're a failure!' Umi's honour said again.
"She doesn't want me." Honoka countered "She wants you and do you really think I could protect her better than you?"
"Yes, I do!" Umi shouted.
"Why?" Honoka and the mystery voice both asked.
"Because I'm a failure!" Umi shouted before dropping her head and looking at the floor "I love Kotori to very bottom of my soul, I would have done anything to save her, but when she needed me the most, I failed her." Umi felt her entire body run cold at her own words except her eyes which felt like tiny sun's in her skull they were burning so much from the tear that threatened to flow.
"If you hate that you weren't there to protect her, why are you leaving her alone again?" the ginger asked quietly.
Umi felt a knife stuck in her heart at her friend's words, but before she could even speak further the ginger carried on "Is your honour really worth more to you than Kotori?"
Umi felt her heart twist at the question and a rush of anger flooded through her, the Ronin's fists tightened "You who know me best of all, know it's not." Umi said breathing deeply through gritted teeth "But I have to do this."
"Why?"
"Because I swore to Dia I would save her sister, if I can't fulfil a single promise what good am I to anyone?" the anger and frustration growing in the blunettes mind.
"What about your promise to Kotori?" Honoka and the mystery voice asked, "What about your promise to always protect her?"
'What about your duty as a Sonoda?' The mystery voice added.
Umi felt something snap inside herself at those words and she lunged forward, bring her sword up and trying to strike Honoka on the shoulder. As she moved the Ronin could feel tears rolling down her cheeks.
The ginger remained stationary for a second before suddenly swinging her sword up and parried the strike, the clash of swords in her head was quite loud like a bell ringing, the ginger then turned and shoulder barged Umi back slightly.
"You once told me once a sword that's unbalanced, is a defeated sword." Honoka said quietly "Your swords off balance, do you really want to leave her?"
'Do you?' the mystery's voice asked.
'No, but she swore!'
"No, I don't but I swore to Dia…"
"Did she ask you specifically?" Honoka asked.
"Not specifically, it seemed more general."
"Did you say it to her?"
"No, Eli said it to her."
"Then how did you promise her?"
"When I was taking her back to the castle, I promised her."
"Umi…"
"No, I have to do this, I swore and I won't dishonour the Sonoda name by breaking it." Umi shouted as the mystery voice and honour kept sparing in her head, their blades sounding louder with each clash.
'What good is she if she can't keep a promise?' her honour shouted.
"You didn't make a promise to Dia, Eli did and that was for all of use to rescue Ruby and yet I'm not going so why do you?" Honoka said bowing her head slightly.
"Because…"
"Who will protect Kotori if not you?"
"Anyone would be better, I clearly can't, I already proved that." Umi said dropping her sword to her side as she felt more tears rolling down her cheeks like streams.
"Umi, we will rescue Ruby," Honoka whispered her voice sounding a little course "If we rescue Ruby your promise to Dia will be fulfilled, but you don't have to be there to do it."
Umi could feel her honour about to speak but the ginger and the mystery voice cut it off "What's the first duty of the Sonoda's?"
"To protect the Minami's." Umi replied as Honoka brought her sword to her hip like she was about to draw the sword, the blunette made to defend, much like her honour was in her mind with their sword to their front.
"Umi, when we rescue Ruby, your promise will be satisfied, but you don't need to be there to rescue her, if you do, you will you have to abandon your first duty…"
'And isn't that more dishonourable, to abandon your family's duty.' The mystery voice added.
"…And break your promise to Kotori." Honoka said as she made to strike.
Honoka's and the mystery voices words were like knifes to the blunettes heart, making her drop her guard slightly just as the ginger swung her sword just like the mystery voice did to her honour, who seemed to be just as stunned as the blunette, the sword struck and both Umi's and her honours swords were flung out their hands.
Umi looked to where the sword had landed before looking back to her friend, who was looking at her with a mix of hope and worry "Umi, what will you do?" Honoka asked quietly.
'Will you abandon your lady again?' the mystery voice asked pointing its sword at the Ronin's honour.
Umi merely heard a growl before her honour threw up its hands in surrender 'So what will you do?' the mystery voice asked the blunette.
"Umi?" Honoka asked placing a hand on Umi's shoulder. The blunette took a moment take a breath before giving the ginger her answer.
"I swore to protect Kotori, I'm not going to fail her again, so I'll stay by her side." Umi said quietly, her heart fluttering slightly at the answer, which got another growl from her honour.
"Thank you Umi." Honoka said as she embraced the ronin in a tight hug.
"I never wanted…"
"I know." Honoka smiled "And this will stay between us."
"Thank you and congrats Lady Honoka."
"This one doesn't count." Honoka said before picking up the dropped sword and leaving.
(Umi - Night-time)
'I hope Kotori doesn't notice I've been crying.' Umi thought as she slid the door to the chamber open, as she entered, she was greeted by the sight of Kotori gently singing next to Saki's cot with the girl in her arms.
Umi stopped in the doorway at the sight feeling a sense of melancholy and annoyance come over her 'Why did I ever think of leaving you two?' Umi asked herself.
'You were fulfilling a promise.' Umi's honour grumbled.
'She also had a promise to protect Kotori.' The mystery voice countered as the blunette close the door and walked over to the pair.
The door closing seemed to catch Kotori's attention who turned around to face the blunette, upon seeing who it was the ashen girl smiled and walked over to Umi with a sleeping Saki in her arms.
'I'm glad she doesn't seem to have noticed.' Umi thought.
'Because…'
'Enough,' Umi interrupted her honour "I've had enough of both of you tonight.' Umi growled in mind.
"Umi?" Kotori asked drawing the ronin's attention back to the ashen girl "Are you ok, you seem really tense?"
"Yes, sorry Kotori I'm fine." Umi said unclenching her jaw, just as Saki shifted in Kotori's arms.
Umi saw the ashen girl smile before handing Saki over to Umi, the little blunette wriggled a bit as she got comfortable in Umi's arms, once she was settled Umi could see Saki holding on tightly to Umi's clothing 'I won't leave you.' Umi thought to herself.
Umi looked up and could see Kotori smiling at the pair "Sorry, its just nice to see you two together." Kotori whispered with a smile, though something seemed off to the blunette, she could see a sadness in the ashen girl's eyes and the blunette thought it looked like the ashen girl had been crying.
"Kotori, is something wrong?"
"I was hoping you wouldn't notice." Kotori sighed dropping her head slightly "I was speaking to Nozomi earlier."
"What about?"
"Do you mind if we don't talk about it tonight?"
"Kotori…"
"Umi…Onigai."
Umi let out a sigh in defeat "Is there anything I can do for you instead then?"
Kotori gave a small smile before walking forward and resting her head on Umi's shoulder and wrapping her arms around the ronin's waist "This is enough for now."
Umi could hear her honour's muffled objections but she was to tired and exhausted to care right now.
"Umi?" Kotori said quietly.
"Yes?"
"Promise you'll never leave me, no matter what happens."
"I promise." Umi said quietly as she embraced the ashen girl.
(Kotori – Same time Umi was talking to Honoka)
"Nozomi, can I come in?" Kotori asked as she slid the door to the twin tailed girls chamber open.
"Of course come in." Nozomi said with a smile "What can I do for you?"
"I need to talk to you, about something, something important."
"Ok." Nozomi with a smile "What's on your mind?"