An Unpayable Debt

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An Unpayable Debt was a virtual representation of one of Fujibayashi Naoe's genetic memories, relived through the Animus EGO.

Description

Naoe was found by a monk named Sorin and his apprentice Junjiro, who treated her wounds.

Dialogue

Following the events outside Katano Castle, Naoe woke up and found herself still alive, wearing a new sheet of clothes and her wounds bandaged.

• Naoe: (gasps)

She clenched her waist and looked around, finding herself in a house. She took a closer look at the drawings of mountains and sights hung on the wall, before noticing a young boy.

• Naoe: You...

Upon hearing Naoe, Junjiro let out a loud gasp and quickly stood up before running out of the house.

• Naoe: (breathes)

Fighting through the pain and her crippled leg, Naoe got up on her feet.

• Naoe: Have to... get back...

Naoe stepped out of the house.

• Naoe: What is this place?

Naoe, feeling hazy, tried to get a look on her surroundings.

• Naoe: How did I get here? Father... Chichi...

Halfway through, Naoe soon lost conscious. After some time, she woke up and heard a voice.

• Sorin: You're awake.
• Naoe: (gasps)

Naoe was surprised to see a monk in the room.

• Sorin: That's good. Can you hear me? Understand me?

The monk sat down beside her.

• Sorin: (grunts) Now. I'll ask you politely not to run away again, hmm?
• Naoe: I didn't ask to be brought here, monk. And I refuse to be your prisoner.
• Sorin: I suppose I should expect a fiery response from someone who carries more blades than wits. You are not my prisoner. You are my charge. And it's your leg that holds you here, not me.
• Naoe: (winces)

Meanwhile, the boy Naoe saw stood by the door.

• Sorin: Have you ever seen a bone pierce its way through the skin?
• Naoe: Not my own.
• Sorin: Ha! If you were to take another stroll on that leg, I imagine you'd see it first hand.
  It is a miracle you are alive, young one.
• Naoe: I'm not that young.
• Sorin: When you get to my age, everyone is young. What is your name?

Naoe declined to respond.

• Sorin: You will be here for some time. I might as well know what to call you.
• Naoe: Fujibayashi. Naoe. Of Iga.
• Sorin: I am Sorin. The little one is Junjiro. And this place is Makinoodera, a temple. Or at least... what is left of it. War's shadow has darkened much in Settsu. As in Iga.

Naoe tried to get up.

• Naoe: When you found me... did you...? Is he...?

Knowing Naoe was referring to her father, Sorin gave an apologetic look.

• Sorin: I am sorry.

Having heard what she did not wish to know, Naoe laid back down. Sorin got up and left the hut. As time went by, Naoe remained in the same position, reflecting on her father's death and barely spoke to anyone. She also did not touch food that was brought to her by both Sorin and Junjiro. After a few weeks, Naoe's facial wounds healed, leaving scars while her leg recovered enough for her to be able get up in a seated position. This time, Junjiro brought her food and sat down beside her.

• Junjiro: You...
• Naoe: Go ahead. I won't bite.
• Junjiro: You... You should eat more. Sorin says you'll need your strength soon.

Naoe nodded her head. Sorin soon entered the house.

• Sorin: Junjiro. Fetch me a blade, would you? I believe it's time we freed our guest from her splint.

Junjiro got up and left the house.

• Naoe: He's strange. Junjiro.
• Sorin: You're hardly one to talk. You've been a ghost for weeks.
• Naoe: Is he afraid of me?
• Sorin: Should he be?
• Naoe: No. So long as he never poses a threat.
• Sorin: It must be exhausting. Seeing enemies everywhere.
• Naoe: They are everywhere.
• Sorin: You should know it was Junjiro who tended to you day and night. Junjiro who kept a cloth on your brow to break the fever.
• Naoe: Is that when he painted all those portraits?
• Sorin: The boy paints what he sees. Be kind to him, Naoe. He's lost more than you know.

Sorin sat down and moved towards Naoe's leg. Slowly, he removed the splint on Naoe's right leg as she winced in pain.

• Naoe: (winces)
• Sorin: Pain is expected. But you can walk. It will be some time before you're at full strength, but you can work toward it on your feet. And maybe even help around the temple for once! What a thought.

Shortly after, Junjiro returned a knife.

• Sorin: Ah, the knife. Thank you, Junjiro.

Sorin got up and began leaving.

• Junjiro: W-Wait, but you said—
• Sorin: You know how my hand shake in the cold, Junjiro. I'll leave you to it.

The monk soon left the house, with Junjiro sitting beside Naoe.

• Naoe: Go on. I trust you.

Junjiro soon got started on removing Naoe's bandages with the knife.

• Naoe: See?
• Junjiro: I... don't like handling knives. Are you sure I didn't hurt you?
• Naoe: Don't worry. I'm tougher than I look.
• Junjiro: Really?

Meanwhile, Sorin stood outside to listen in on their conversation before leaving shortly after.

• Naoe: What's that suppose to mean?
• Junjiro: I... just meant, because you're nevermind!

Time passed and it was soon winter. At this point, Naoe was able to get up and stand on her own feet. She looked down on the drawings Junjiro made on the table. She took a closer look and noticed something else behind the first drawing. She put away the first drawing and spread out the remaining paintings, noticing depictions of her as an oni and onryō. Junjiro soon ran in.

• Junjiro: Naoe, I was hoping...

Junjiro noticed Naoe going through his paintings.

• Naoe: Did you do this, Junjiro?
• Junjiro: I don't... I don't paint like that anymore.
• Naoe: Sorin said you paint what you see. I'm sorry you had to see this.
• Junjiro: There are lots of beautiful things too, if you know where to look. I can teach you. Let me get my brush!

As Junjiro left to get his tool, Naoe gave a smile before looking at the paintings again.

• Naoe: Good to be on my feet again. Even with the ache. I wonder if I'll ever be as strong as before. I wonder if it even matters.

Naoe left the house limping and met up with Junjiro, who then headed southeast. Naoe followed him.

• Junjiro: There's a tanuki over that way. Her name is Mikan.
• Naoe: Mikan?
• Junjiro: Why don't you try sneaking up and sketching her? I feed her sometimes, even though Sorin tells me not to. Just remember, be quiet and move slow. You don't want to startle her.

The two reached a burnt down temple, where the tanuki named Mikan was eating.

• Junjiro: You can do it!

Following Junjiro's advice, Naoe crouched down and approach the animal quietly.

• Naoe: I need to paint this. I need to be quiet.

Soon, she reached a position to get a good view on the tanuki.

• Naoe: Good view from here.

She then started drawing the tanuki as it took an egg from the basket before running away. After she finished, she showed it to Junjiro.

• Junjiro: I mean, it looks... mostly like a tanuki.
• Naoe: You look mostly like a tanuki.
• Junjiro: (laughs)
• Naoe: You're right. It's not very good. Guess I'm not much of an artist, huh?
• Junjiro: It just takes practice. Like anything! And you understand that. You play music.
• Naoe: Why do you think that?
• Junjiro: Come on. I'll show you.

Naoe followed Junjiro to another burnt down temple, where they sat down on a carpet. Junjiro took out a bag and placed it on the ground.

• Junjiro: We found this... where we found you.
• Naoe: Open it.

Junjiro listened and opened up the bag, revealing the broken fragments of the tsuchibue that had belonged to her father. Seeing that brought her flashbacks of her father playing the instrument.

• Naoe: (breathes)

She said nothing and stood up.

• Naoe: Thank you for this. It has reminded me of something very important.

Junjiro stood up as well.

• Junjiro: What's that?
• Naoe: A promise.

Later at night, Naoe returned to her room where she looked through her belongings to locate the Hidden Blade given by her father. After giving it a short look, Naoe covered it. Over the next few months, Naoe spent her time keeping herself busy: taking part in drawing sessions with Junjiro, going on walks with Sorin and Junjiro to work on her leg strength while bearing the pain.

• Naoe: (winces)

She would also keep herself at night to improve her painting, while looking at the tsuchibue to remind her of her promise. After some time, she was able to regain enough strength to start climbing walls and cliffs, though she struggled and almost lost her footing. After more tries, she was able to reach the top without slipping, with Junjiro cheering her success.

• Junjiro: (cheers)

Naoe became emotional for her regaining her climbing ability. Eventually, she recovered enough to be able handle wielding a katana. After retrieving the katana given to her by Matsu, she headed to an area full of bamboo trees to test her blade.

• Naoe: Let's see if this blade is as sharp as I remember.

Naoe swung her blade, cutting down a number of bamboo.

• Naoe: (grunts) (screams)

She soon stopped, having had enough.

• Naoe: (pants)

The monk Sorin approached her.

• Sorin: Did it work? Do you feel better now that you've destroyed something?

Naoe sheathed her katana.

• Sorin: Vengeance is a lonely path, Naoe. Believe me. There are other ways to heal.

Naoe gave a bow and left. She returned to her resting area, where she found her broken tsuchibue missing.

• Junjiro: Don't be mad.

Naoe turned around and saw Junjiro, who then headed to another house. Naoe followed right behind and found her tsuchibue on the table, repaired and with glints of gold filling the cracks.

• Junjiro: I really did try my best.

Having seen the tsuchibue in its almost original state, Naoe was unable to hide her smile.

• Junjiro: Do you like it?
• Naoe: How?

Sorin soon joined them.

• Sorin: It would seem Junjiro has a knack for mending things. With a little help, of course.
• Junjiro: Can you play something, Naoe? Please?

Naoe picked up the tsuchibue from the table and headed outside. She then tried to blow it, playing the music that her father used to do. Doing so, however, relieved memories of her father's death, causing her to get emotional. She turned around to face Junjiro and Sorin.

• Naoe: Thank you. I can never repay your kindness. But now... I have a different debt to settle.

The two said nothing while Naoe returned to her resting place to retrieve her Hidden Blade. She then met with Sorin and Junjiro at the temple's entrance.

• Sorin: Where will you go, then?
• Naoe: To the home of a family friend. Tomiko. She has a farm in Settsu.
• Sorin: Ah, yes. That poor family.
• Naoe: You know the place?
• Sorin: I have lived in Settsu a very long time, young one. I have heard all its stories, good and bad. To reach the farm, head north, following the winding path down the mountain. But be careful. Danger is everywhere. And Naoe. Remember to tend to your wounds. Not only the physical ones. Your eyes are on the horizon now, but do not forget to look back. To look within.

Naoe nodded her head before crouching down to speak to Junjiro.

• Naoe: Thank you, Junjiro.
• Junjiro: Do you really have to go?
• Naoe: Take care of yourself. And the old man.
• Junjiro: (giggles)

Junjiro nodded his head. Naoe got up and then gave both the boy and Sorin a bow, expressing her gratefulness for their care. She then turned and left the temple.

Outcome

Naoe recovered from her injuries after rehabilitating for a period of time. She thanked Sorin and Junjiro for their help before leaving to start on her journey for revenge.