Work Text:
The sword whispers to Maki inside her head when she wakes up in the Zenin clan’s punishment room. She can’t quite make out what it is saying, but Mai’s words echo in her brain:
Destroy everything.
Then she sees Mai’s body lying next to her and the sword is entirely forgotten.
**
The sword seems to radiate a fierce joy as Maki slices a crimson path through the Kukuru, as she wields it to kill the Hei. Mai has told her to destroy everything and the sword is her tool to make that command a reality.
It compels her, sings in her grip, and laughs in her head with each brutal, bloody stroke.
Its laughter sounds like Mai’s. Maki never thought she would hear that laugh again. She would do anything to keep hearing it.
**
The sword is a muddled presence in Maki’s head, familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, a whirl of emotion and sound that Maki cannot quite parse into concrete words and desires.
It seethes as she fights Naoya. She can hear it, can feel its anger even after she drops the weapon and uses her fist to finally end him.
When she picks it up again and slings Mai’s body over her shoulder to leave the Zenin estate forever, the sword goes quiet.
**
Maki doesn’t sleep much now, but when she does, she dreams.
She is back on the beach with Mai. Mai is trying to tell her something, something important, but Maki cannot understand what it is. There is an urgency she doesn’t understand.
When she wakes, it all vanishes from her head. All that is left is the sword by her side, whispering, urging.
**
The sword revels in killing, especially when it tastes the blood of the Zenin clan. Maki kills the remaining clan members and the sword vibrates with pleasure. She gets flashes of emotion, a word here and there. She hopes that it’s Mai, she wants it to be Mai, but there isn’t enough there for her to tell.
When the last living Zenin clan member falls, the maelstrom of turbulent thoughts and emotions in Maki’s head goes still. It is replaced with a warm, glowing hum of contentment. Maki hopes that Mai is proud of her, proud that Maki kept her promise.
**
Maki dreams of the beach again. Mai is there, far in the distance. She beckons to Maki. Maki thinks she is smiling. She starts to walk towards Mai, but the dream ends long before she reaches her.
She awakens with the sound of the waves echoing in her head and the sword humming next to her. It still seems to want something from her, but Maki has no idea what it is.
**
Maki senses something new from the sword when she returns to the Kyoto school in response to Noritoshi’s message. Something calm, almost wistful. The thought that fills Maki’s head is home, but this has never been her home.
It was only ever Mai’s.
**
Maki dreams.
In her dreams she is back on the beach and Mai is there. She is closer this time, but still too far away. Mai’s mouth is moving as though she is trying to tell Maki something, but Maki cannot hear her over the sound of the waves and her blood pulsing in her ears.
Maki awakens in a dark room at the Kyoto school. It is the early grey light of dawn and it is time for her and Noritoshi to go. The sword hums next to her with anticipation.
**
The sword awakens in a burst of violent hunger when Maki crosses the barrier and enters Sakurajima colony. It can sense the cursed spirits like Maki can and it thirsts for battle. Its delight grows with every spirit and competitor that Maki cuts down.
Then the giant worm shoots out of the sky and slams into Maki, and the sword’s joy turns to burning, seething anger. Maki slices through Naoya with the sword, but its anger does not abate. Indeed, it only increases as Maki and Noritoshi succumb to Naoya’s attacks.
A feeling of urgency grows inside Maki’s head. The whispers in her mind get louder and louder until they’re almost a shout. The sword needs to tell her something. It needs her to do something but she doesn’t know what and she doesn’t have time to think about it as she is crushed under Naoya’s relentless attacks.
The urgency becomes tinged with disappointment and frustration. Maki cannot defeat Naoya, not like this. And still she does not understand what the sword is trying to tell her.
**
The sword has never wanted to be wielded by anyone else, but when Daido Hagane falls from the sky, Maki feels a pull. He shouts “KA-TA-NAAA” and without thinking, Maki throws him the sword.
In Daido’s hand, the sword comes alive. Daido cannot see Nayoa but the swordsman's brutal attacks do not miss. The sword is practically mocking Maki now, laughing in her head. Maki knows this part of the sword’s message for her, but she still does not understand.
Then Miyo’s domain closes over her.
**
When Maki emerges, she understands everything. She looks at the men around her, at Daido, Miyo, Noritoshi, and she sees and understands their souls. She looks at the cursed spirit that was Naoya and also understands. He is nothing, it is so obvious now.
His domain closes over Daido and Miyo and Maki waits, considering. Noritoshi moves to join them and she says “Wait. Stay here. This one is meant for me.”
She can see all of Noritoshi, the seething power of his cursed technique, the fierce love in his heart for his mother and the outcasts in his clan, the determination to make sure his life means something in the end.
Maki knows that it will, just as she knows that Noritoshi’s end will not come today. She smiles.
Then she crosses the barrier of Naoya’s domain.
**
Many things are happening inside, but all Maki sees is the sword on the ground, held by Daido’s severed arm. It calls to her, and this time she can understand exactly what it is saying.
It calls to her in Mai’s voice.
She goes to the sword, takes it up and
**
She is back on the beach, and Mai is there. Mai is right there next to her.
She can see her, hear her, touch her. Mai is the sword, and the sword is Mai.
Mai speaks.
“You understand me now, right?”
And at last, Maki does.
“So, you were able to destroy everything, huh?”
Maki finally understands it all. This was about much more than destroying the Zenin clan. Mai always knew what she had the potential to become.
Maki smiles at Mai and says “yeah.” There’s no need for more. Mai already knows.
Mai takes Maki’s hand.
Maki knows everything now. She knows how much Mai loved her. And she knows that Mai knows how much Maki loved her in return. Their souls are bared to each other now, connected by an unseverable bond but also distinct. They call to each other, speak to each other without words, and this time Maki understands.
Mai will always be with her. Mai has given her the power to undo dynasties, to reshape destinies, and they will do that, together.
She has fulfilled her vow to Mai. It is an ending and also a beginning.
The beach fades away, and Mai’s face fades with it. It doesn’t bother Maki at all. She can go to Mai whenever she wants.
Her hand is cool on the sword’s hilt and she sees Mai so clearly in her mind now, hears her voice as though Mai is right there whispering in her ear.
“You don’t need me to tell you what to do. You know now. This is what we were made for. End him.”
And Maki does.