#needless to say i was exhausted but sleep is still eluding me

[doggytail-duck]

Who knew going to sleep would be difficult after you spend half the day in the ER?

[allisondraste]

Temperance (27/?)

Pairing: Nathaniel Howe/ Female, Non-HoF Cousland

Story Summary: Nathaniel and Elissa were childhood friends, but time and distance tore them apart. In the aftermath of the Fifth Blight, and Ferelden’s Civil War, both Elissa and Nathaniel must attempt reconstruct their tattered lives. As a series of events lead them to be reunited, both are reminded of so many years ago when things were much simpler.

Chapter Summary:   Everything has changed since Nathaniel and Lucia arrived, and Liss struggles to find her place.

First Chapter Previous Chapter [AO3 LINK]

Denerim, 9:31 Dragon

There was nothing Liss wanted less than to be sitting in Queen Anora’s council chamber, listening to Arl Eamon complain about and question any and every decision Anora made.  Was it not past time that he headed back to Redcliffe where he could firmly plant his head up his own arse without bothering anyone else. He certainly had a lot to prove for someone already in such a position of power.  Papa had always told her that truly powerful people had little to prove. It was why King Maric had been so beloved, an example her father had apparently strived to follow. She wished he’d been there now, to tell the puffy Arl to watch how he speaks to the Queen of Ferelden. It was all she could do to keep herself from saying as much.

The lack of sleep the night before had not helped her irritation.  Nightmares had tormented her all night and sleep eluded her. Of course, now that it was the middle of the morning, and she was surrounded by a dozen important people, she could hardly keep her eyes open.  There was a gentle jab to her side, jolting her to alertness and she snapped her head in the direction of the touch.

Alistair quirked an eyebrow and flashed a mischievous smile at her before mouthing “You’re welcome,” and turning his attention back to Anora.

“Lady Cousland, what do you think of Anora’s unflinching support for the Grey Wardens, even in light of their callous abandonment of the people of Amaranthine?” A smug smile formed on his lips, barely visible beneath his beard.

Liss snorted in disbelief. “I trust Queen Anora’s decision, my lord, and I find it interesting that you were such a staunch ally of the Warden-Commander just months ago.”

“The Arling of Amaranthine is under the protection of an Arlessa, a mage, who cares little for its people.”

“I am certain she cares much more for the people of Amaranthine than it’s previous leadership,” Liss replied politely, letting all of the bitterness seep into her smile, “Some of us do not have the luxury of forgetting about Rendon Howe so soon.”

Arl Eamon chuckled humorlessly. “And now the Warden-Commander conspires with his son.  Are you so certain you wish to defend her now?”

Liss’ fists tightened in her lap. It wasn’t like that. Nate was not like his father. He hadn’t even chosen the Wardens voluntarily.  Eamon’s accusation was completely unfair and she opened her mouth to defend him, but Alistair spoke first.

“I’m sorry, but I missed the part where any of this is relevant,” he snapped, throwing a stack of papers on the table,  and Liss released the breath she’d been holding, “All of the reports from different sources , including the Captain of the Guard in Amaranthine, several minor Banns, all of the Grey Wardens present, oh, and some civilians who fled Amaranthine prior to the siege say the same thing: The city was beyond saving. I’m curious to hear your argument as to why needless loss of the few Wardens we have left would have been a better solution.”

The room fell silent as Eamon appeared to search for anything to say in response, but settled upon an exasperated sigh.

“I have spoken with the Warden-Commander about the situation in Amaranthine, and I am confident that her decision was sound,” Anora announced, voice like a bell that rang through the muffled conversation of the council members, “I believe that it is in the best interest of both Amaranthine and Ferelden for the arling to remain under the protection of the Grey Wardens.”

Anora turned to meet Alistair’s gaze, nodding faintly. “With one condition,” she continued, “The Wardens are charged with rebuilding the City of Amaranthine, returning survivors to their homes, and making what reparations are possible.”

“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” Alistair answered with a confident nod.

Anora turned to Arl Eamon, smiling gently as she spoke. “I understand and appreciate your concerns, Eamon, but my support for the Wardens still stands.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“If there are no further matters to discuss, then we are adjourned.”  The Queen paused for a few moments, and when nothing else was mentioned, she left the hall, followed soon after by the other council members.  Liss remained in her chair, staring blankly at the surface of the table before her, the shuffling and footsteps receding into the distance and the echoes of the debate still ringing in her head. Her heart still pounded at the memory, and she flopped her head down on the table.  

The sound of movement beside her and the warmth of a body next to her on the bench startled her, and she shot her head up to see Alistair smiling at her. The smile did nothing to mask the exhaustion in his eyes, nor his concern.

“Hey,” he said sheepishly, looking everywhere in the room except her face.

“Hey,” she answered, unable to prevent an amused smile from crawling across her face, “Looks like you want to have another awkward conversation.  I love those.”

“Only the best conversations feel like pulling teeth, don’t you know?” He laughed quietly and sighed.  “I just wanted to check on you… actually.”

“Why? Do I look that rough?”  She was only half-joking.

“You look like you didn’t get any more sleep than I did.”

“I probably didn’t,” she admitted, but noticed the guilt that washed over Alistair’s face, and continued.  “Don’t worry, Ali. It wasn’t on your account or anything. Just normal old nightmares.”

“Right.  Good.” Alistair nodded, but his brows were still pressed together.  “Er, not good that you have nightmares, just good that it wasn’t because of… what happened between us, and the whole… thing last night.”

“We talked about what happened, remember? It’s behind us.”

“Maybe,” he said with a shrug, “Unfortunately, it’s not behind Lucia.”

“Oh, right.”  She tilted her head and frowned.  “I’m sure she despises me.”

To her surprise, a small grin quirked up at the corner of his mouth and he shook his head.  “Luce isn’t like that.”

Liss perked up.  “Yeah?”

“Don’t get me wrong, she’s angry and hurt, but she was angry and hurt when she left.” Alistair shook his leg to the point that it rattled the table, “I think she blames herself more than anything.”

“So you don’t think she’ll be setting me on fire any time soon?”

“No,” Alistair laughed, “Me, maybe, but not you.”

“Do you think you two will…” she trailed off, realizing that the question was intrusive.

“Work it out,” Alistair asked, as if reading her mind. When she nodded he took a deep breath and continued. “If you had asked me earlier, I would have said I didn’t know, but she’s here now, and… I believe in her.  We want the same thing. I guess we’ll just have to figure out how to get there together”

“That’s wonderful,” Liss remarked, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder

They sat in comfortable silence for several moments before Alistair spoke again.  “I am sorry about what Eamon said.”

“Don’t be. He’s full of hot air, mostly.  He is making wild accusations to find any sort of solid ground to stand on.  I trust the Grey Wardens.”

“Even with a Howe among our ranks?” Alistair’s question was sincere as could be, and Liss felt horrible for the inappropriate laughter that bubbled up from her throat as a response.

“What? What’s so funny?”

“Especially with a Howe among your ranks,” Liss answered, and Alistair furrowed his brows, “That Warden that arrived with Lucia last night…” “That’s him,” Alistair asked, recoiling a bit and blinking at her, “The one you embraced .”

“Yes.” Liss’ face grew hot as she watched him tie divergent shreds of information together, realizing that which she already knew.

“The son of a traitor?” Alistair gasped in feigned surprise, and then clicked his tongue, “The scandal, Lady Elissa.  Can’t you see me? I’m scandalized.”

“Stop it,” Liss laughed through her embarrassment, jabbing Alistair with an elbow. “It’s not like that.”

“Huh, that’s funny because I seem to recall a conversation on the road the other day.”  He tapped his chin with his finger. “Something about it being hard to move on from someone special?  Not really being you without that person? Is that ringing any bells?”

Cut it out, Alistair.”

“You love him.”

Liss did not respond, just narrowed her eyes and glared at him.  Her heart pounded against her chest as if it intended to burst out and run away.  She shouldn’t have been so affected by Alistair’s teasing. It was nothing she did not already know, nothing Fergus hadn’t already teased her about.  Still, to hear it all out loud, to know that Nate was in the same city, made it more potent.

“Fine, fine,” Alistair remarked, throwing his hands up in surrender, “I’ll leave you be.”

“Thank you,” she answered curtly. “I just hope you’re going to do something about it.”  His tone was gentle, compassionate, and he was no longer teasing her.  “I’m probably the worst person to give advice on things like this, but it just seems like it’s too important to ignore.”  

“Thank yo—” she began, but paused as she glimpsed a figure at the far end of the room near the door.  Her arms were crossed, observing, and as she noticed Liss’ attention on her, a small, confusing smile twitched at her lips.

“What’s wrong,” Alistair said, and then turned to look in the direction Liss was looking.  “Oh. Hi love.” He hopped up quickly, nearly stumbling over the chair and rushed to the woman eagerly.  There was no dread or apprehension on his face that Liss could see, and Lucia’s whole face brightened at his attention, the smile she’d offered Liss widening on her face, eyes sparkling.  She was beautiful enough on her own, but the way she looked at Alistair made her even more so. Alistair turned and waved to Liss, and he was beaming. She returned the wave and he disappeared down the hallway with Lucia. Good for him.  She was so relieved she hadn’t cost him the love of his life with her erratic behavior.

Warm sunlight cut through the chill of early afternoon, the first signs that spring would soon arrive, as Liss made her way through the busy Market District.  She hadn’t spoken with Bria since she left for Highever, and she thought her friend would enjoy hearing everything that had transpired since. Not to mention, Liss could stand to vent to an unbiased, uninvolved party, and Bri was the perfect person.

She pushed open the heavy wooden door entered the smithy, and closed the door behind her.  As she turned to look in the direction of the counter, she froze, an uncertain statue at the sight of Nate standing there, laughing as he spoke.  He pulled a small envelope from his coat and slid it across the table to Bri, who picked it up, read the writing on the front, and nodded solemnly before sticking it into one of the pockets on her apron.  It was then that she looked up and her eyes locked with Liss, a perfectly white grin taking over her whole face.  

Appearing to be confused by her smile, Nate frowned and then brought his eyes up so that he saw Liss as well.  He flinched and straightened his posture, clearing his throat and raking a hand through his hair. Good. It seemed that it wasn’t just she who was having a difficult time remembering that they were in the same place now.  It had been many years since butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach, but Maker if they weren’t there now. Thankfully the forge was hot, and gave her an excuse to be sweating.  

“Good afternoon, Lady Elissa,” Bri piped up cheerfully, cutting through the tension that hung heavy in the room, “It has been too many days since that pretty face of yours graced my shop.”

“Afternoon Bri,” Liss replied, prying her eyes away from Nate, who was incredibly distracting with that smirk of his.  What reason did he have to be smirking anyway?

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Bri leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter.

“Nothing, really.  Just came by to catch up.” Liss paused and glanced at Nate.  “But if you are busy…”

“I am on my way out,” Nate said, voice soft and low as he met her gaze, “I do not wish to deter your conversation, my lady.”

Liss fought the urge to groan and sigh audibly.  How completely sincere and formal of him. “Thank you, Warden,” she replied pointedly and Nate chuckled as he walked past her and out of the shop.

When Liss turned to face Bria once again, the woman eyed her knowingly, smiling like a mabari that had just chewed up someone’s boots and wasn’t even sorry.  Liss offered her a scowl. “What? Why are you looking at me like that? “

“Either you have slept with that man, or you need to,” Bria remarked, completely unabashed.

“W-what,” Liss spluttered, completely taken aback by the observation, “Why would you think that?”

“I could have cut the tension with a dull blade,” Bria teased, picking up a dagger from  the counter and pretending to slice the air with it.

“Just the last time I was here, you were prodding me to pursue Alistair.” Liss squinted her eyes. “Have you no shame?”

“Not a drop,” Bria teased and burst out into laughter.

“Great.  Good to know,” Liss spat dryly. “I will have you know that I was right about Alistair.”

“In what way?”  Bria took the dagger she’d been holding, and approached the forge.

“We had a… moment on our trip to Highever.  We shouldn’t have. The woman he loves has returned, and now there is a big mess.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Liss crossed her arms and frowned. She continued on, attempting to imitate Bria, “‘In Antiva when we love someone, we tell them so.’  Remind me not to take your advice ever again.”  

“My apologies, my dear,” Bria said with a laugh.

“We’re not friends anymore.”

“Yes we are.”

“Of course we are,” Liss sighed and laughed. “I am just frustrated.”

Bria opened her mouth to speak, but Liss interrupted, knowing exactly what she intended to say. “Not that kind of frustrated, Bri,” she said,” I have no intention of sleeping with anyone any time soon.”

“Such a shame.”

“I know. I am a disappointment.”  Liss laughed, and moved away from the counter.  “Well, I should probably stop distracting you from your work.” “You are always a welcome distraction, my friend.” Bria smiled again and Liss waved, and headed out of the smithy.

The air outside seemed much colder after standing in the warmth of Bria’s shop.  Wind smacked against her face, prickling her lungs as she inhaled. At least she wasn’t sweating anymore. She jumped as she turned to her left and found Nate leaning against smithy’s exterior, arms crossed.  He stared out into the center of the market, somber expression on his face as he watched a man lift a small boy up onto his shoulders. A beautiful young woman looped her arm through the man’s and stared up lovingly at the boy.

“They remind me of my parents,” Liss stated as she moved to stand beside him,. “Fergus and Oriana, too.”

Nate glanced at her and then closed his eyes.  “I thought the same, actually. I was just remembering the night when Father first brought me to Highever.”

“I was hiding under your bed,” she added, warmth bubbling in her chest as she recalled the memory.

“I worried at first that you were some sort of hideous beast,” he explained, laughter punctuating his words, “It turned out that you were just a girl, with these giant brown eyes, and the loveliest smile I’d ever seen. After that, I thought it was impossible for you to be frightening.”

Liss’ heart fluttered at each word.  “Boy did I have you fooled.”

“That… is an understatement,” he laughed again, “Anyway, I remember that your father came looking for you.  You swore me to silence, and then crawled back under the bed. When your father showed up, I was so scared of getting you into trouble.  All I could think about was how my father handled disobedience.”

“Nate…”

“Your father was nothing like mine.  He made a game out of it, and scooped you out from under the bed to carry you to your room.”  He shifted his weight and looked back out at the family they’d been watching. “Before that moment, I spent my days thinking that I was flawed, that I was just a horrible son.  Your family made me realize that maybe I was not the problem.”

“They loved you,” Liss said softly, tears welling in her eyes, “My parents thought the world of you.  I think they’d want you to know that.”

She looked up at Nate, and swore she saw a tear roll down his cheek.  He looked down at the space between them, at their fingertips that almost touched, and took her hand in his.  He brought his eyes back up to hers, as if to ask if the gesture was welcome. She gave him a reassuring smile, and laced her fingers through his, squeezing tightly.

“I loved them too,” Nate admitted, voice raw with emotion, “When I say that I am sorry for what Father did, it is for more reasons than one.”

“I know, and I am sorry that I was so unreceptive to it yesterday.  Of course you are hurt by all of this too.”  

“It’s alright.  Really.”

They stood, hand in hand, and watched the market, until Liss could take the silence no longer.  “I didn’t know you knew Bria.”

“I didn’t until today,” he replied with a shrug, “We have a mutual friend. She’s going to deliver a letter for me.”

“Huh,” Liss huffed before she could stop herself, releasing his hand.

He blinked a few times and tilted his head.  “What?”

“Oh, nothing,” she replied, biting into her words, “It’s just… you do know how to write.”

Nate’s breath hitched audibly in his throat and he frowned, eyebrows furrowing deeply on his forehead. “About that… listen, I—“

Immediately guilty she interrupted him with a laugh and, “It was a joke, Nate. You don’t have to—“

Before she could finish he had moved to stand directly in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Damn it.  He knew better. Of course he did.

“You and I both know that wasn’t a joke,” he asserted, voice still soft despite its edge.  He was so forward and certain. A strand of black hair fell down into his face as he spoke  

Instinctively, she reached up and tucked the hair back behind his ear, cursing herself although she made no effort to keep her fingertips from lingering against his cheek. “And you and I both know that this is not a conversation we should have in the middle of a crowded market.”

“Right. I…” Nate trailed off, gaze shifting between her eyes and her lips and she should not have wanted him to kiss her so badly, considering the context, but she did.  There was little else she wanted more. He sighed and pulled away from her, too soon, releasing her shoulders and scratching the back of his head. “You are right, of course.”

“I want to hear what you have to say, though.”  She placed a hand on his arm to get his attention, and then tilted her head in the direction of the castle. When Nate smiled and nodded, she looped her arm through his.  “Lead the way.”

The silence between them as they walked to the castle was unbearable, and Liss found herself scrambling for anything to talk about.

“When will you be leaving Denerim,” Liss settled on asking.

“Soon,” Nate sighed, eyes remaining locked in front of him, “ A day or so most likely, though it really depends on what Lucia decides.  There are so few Wardens left, we’re all needed to help in restoring the region. I’ve made personal promises to Amaranthine City, to see it repaired. “

“You will be delighted to know that is exactly what Queen Anora charged the Wardens to do in our meeting this morning.” Liss laughed.  “Arl Eamon wishes the Warden-Commander to be stripped of her title as Arlessa.” “Ridiculous.  Lucia did everything she could,” Nate protested, “Amaranthine was lost.”

“That is what Alistair explained,” Liss reassured him, “Your name was mentioned.  The Wardens are now conspiring with the son of the traitorous Rendon Howe.”

Nate groaned and rolled his eyes.  “The Wardens gave me a chance to do better than my father.  They are my family now, and my loyalty lies with them.”

“I am glad you found somewhere to belong again.” Though Liss would not tell him as much, she was envious.

“So am I,” Nate said with a decisive nod of the head.

Liss chest tightened and her pulse jumped as they reached the castle’s courtyard, anticipation for a discussion with Nathaniel that was nine years overdue building inside her.  Would he apologize for not writing? Give her some completely understandable reason why he ignored her letters? Perhaps he would finally tell her he loved her. Maybe they’d kiss.  Maybe they’d do more than kiss. She’d certainly be open to the idea. After all, Bria hadn’t been wrong. Liss was just too proud to admit that it was something she wanted.

She shook her head, hoping to regain her hold over her own thoughts, which had completely run away from her.  She only hoped that she was not blushing. Nate opened one of the doors for her, smiling as she entered into the warmth of the castle walls.

“Warden Nathaniel,” a young woman’s voice called from across the hall as Nate entered behind her, allowing the door to swing closed.

“Yes?”

“Her Majesty wishes to speak with you, ser.” Damn it.   To his credit, Nate looked just as frustrated as Liss felt.  

“Did Queen Anora say what she wished to speak with me about?”

“Amaranthine, ser.” The woman looked between Nate and Liss and added. “She is in her study as soon as you are ready.”

“Thank you,” he said politely, and the servant walked away.

Nate moved to stand squarely in front of Liss reaching out to take both of her hands in his.  His eyes burned with everything he wanted to say. Everything she wanted to hear.  

“Later,” he stated, “I promise.”  GIving her hands a final squeeze, he released them and headed toward the stairs that led to Anora’s study.  Liss had never been more annoyed by the queen, a thought she’d be happy to keep to herself.

Determined not to waste her time counting the minutes that passed by until Nate was free to talk, Liss headed to her quarters.  As the excitement of the morning and afternoon wore off, her tired, sleep-deprived body ached for rest, and she could think of no better way to bide her time than to give her body what it needed.  

She flopped down face first onto the large bed she’d called her own for the past few months, not even bothering to remove her shoes, or climb under the coverlet.  Of all the times she would have expected thoughts to overwhelm her, to prod her awake, it would have been at this moment, and yet they didn’t. Sleep embraced her warmly, and she was grateful.

She awoke later to a knock at the door, completely disoriented, and unsure how long she’d even been sleeping.  Still, she knew the knock had to be Nate, returning to continue their conversation from the market. She stood, smoothed her hair to make sure she did not look entirely disheveled, and rushed to open the door.

She was greeted by dark hair and a set of pale blue eyes— the wrong dark hair and blue eyes— and it took her what felt like an eternity to address the woman that stood before her.

“Warden...Commander?”  She rubbed her eyes and blinked to make certain she had seen correctly.  No. It was definitely still Lucia.  

“Sorry if I disturbed you,” Lucia said, her voice quite low, with a subtle rasp at the edges of her words.  It was not what she’d expected the Hero of Ferelden to sound like. “I was wondering if we could talk.”

“You aren’t disturbing me,” Liss replied, opening the door wider so that Lucia could step inside, “And yes.  Of course.”

She motioned for the other woman to sit down in one of the reading chairs that sat in the corner of the room.  She did so and Liss followed suit, sitting down hesitantly in the chair next to her. It was oppressively quiet for much longer than Liss would have preferred as Lucia wrang her hands and stared off at nothing.

“I wanted to apologize for everything,” the woman finally spoke, her piercing eyes shooting directly through Liss, who was too intimidated to even attempt to tell her that she hated being called by her full name. “I can’t imagine you intended to get caught in the middle of all of this.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” Liss argued, laughing humorlessly as she did so, “I am a big girl, and I made my own horrible decisions.  Besides, I don’t feel caught in the middle of anything.”

“You don’t?”

“Not even a little,” Liss explained, “Alistair loves you so much.  I couldn’t compete, even if I wanted to, and I don’t. What happened between us was a thoughtless, impulsive, example of coping gone wrong.  He is my friend, and I prefer to keep him that way.”

“That is… good to hear,” Lucia remarked with a soft smile, “I hated the thought that you might be uncomfortable.”

“You have to be one of the most forgiving people in Thedas.”

“I don’t much care for the options left to me if I chose not to forgive Alistair, or you,” the woman explained, a soft smile twitching on her lips, “Nathaniel tells me that I have a right to be angry, and so I am letting myself be angry, but I refuse to hold a grudge.   I am not so innocent in all of this, anyway. For what it’s worth, I am glad you were there for Alistair when I wasn’t.”

“Seriously?” “I felt so guilty for leaving him alone.  I am glad that was not the case.”

“You are welcome… I think.”

There was a long heavy pause, and Liss wondered if Lucia was at just as much of a loss for words as she was.  Just when she thought she could bear it no longer, Lucia spoke again.

“Nathaniel speaks highly of you.”  

“He better,” Liss quipped, and smiled at the woman next to her.  To her surprise, Lucia laughed, seeming to appreciate the joke.

“Anyway.”  Lucia pushed up from her chair, so that she was standing, “I should probably get back to preparing for the return to Amaranthine.  We have a city to rebuild. Thank you for speaking with me.”

“Thank you for the same.”  

The Warden-Commander nodded, and turned to leave the room, and Liss called after her urgently.  “Wait.”

Spinning around abruptly, Lucia looked at Liss from beneath furrowed brows.  “Something the matter?”

“It is my understanding that there are only a handful of Wardens in Ferelden?”

“There are seven,” Lucia replied with a bitter laugh, “Including myself and Alistair. Why?

“I want to join.”

Lucia returned to sit in the chair where she’d been before, eyes burning into Liss’ face. “Becoming a Grey Warden is not something to take lightly.  Once you join, there is no turning back.” “When I was a child, Duncan visited Highever on a number of occasions looking for recruits.  I always asked him and my father if I could join some day. They always answered with some variation of what you just said.  It didn’t change my mind.

“I wasn’t able to go with Duncan, even when I was old enough that I could have.  For all my parents valued my independence, they still coddled me, expected me to be a lady who just happened to know how to fight.  My life has changed. My role doesn’t matter anymore. This is my chance.”

Lucia drew in a shaky breath, clearly weighing the decision internally.  “Very well,” she finally said, “It would be an honor to have you among our ranks.”

[kuriquinn]

Penthesilea [3/?]

Cover & Disclaimer

Chapter Summary: For a week Sasuke wrestles with himself, knowing that they need a more advanced healer—knowing exactly who would be the most competent person to seek out. But certainly, she wouldn’t be so foolish as to heal the leader of the enemy forces. Sasuke doubts even Uzumaki could shrug off that as anything but treason, not to say what Senju Tsunade would think of it.

Chapter Beta: Sakura’s Unicorn

戦国時代

Sasuke is constantly exhausted and yet, sleep eludes him every night.

For months, he occupies himself with battle strategy in the bleak, restless hours before dawn. He runs numbers in his head and tries to outthink the plans of his rival. Uzumaki is a bit of an idiot, but Nara Shikamaru is at his side, and the shadow manipulator is known to be a genius. Itachi could keep up with his ploys with ease, but Sasuke struggles. He’s not an anticipatory thinker, preferring to react to problems as they present themselves. That kind of approach is fine when it’s only himself, but with so many lives dependant on him now, he can’t rely on such personal tactics.

As time goes on, however, Sasuke’s ruminations change in a bothersome way. Offensive strategies and possible promotions give way to imaginings of brilliant green eyes and a mouth curved into an impish smile. This, more than battle tactics, keeps him awake at night, and he hates himself for being so weak and fallible as to be distracted by a woman of all things.

There’s little point in spending hours staring at the canvas ceiling of his tent, and so most nights, he will get up and walk. It’s a simple thing to slip away from the constant din of the army camp and into the forest, far enough away that he can’t hear people. It is easier to pretend…something. He isn’t sure what.

Tonight, Sasuke sits at the base of a large oak, staring up into the sky at the giant moon hovering above the tree line. He wonders if there are people there and if they, too, are embroiled in an endless battle.

He begins to understand why Itachi always yearns for silence.

“Do you know the story of how this war got started?”

Sasuke’s muscles tense, fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword, but as he touches it, the voice registers and he pauses.

“There are few people who can sneak up on me,” he points out, refraining from turning to her. However, out of the corner of his eye, he can see her ensconced in the branches of the tree, eyes on the moon, legs swinging idly back and forth.

Sakura, he thinks, as if remembering it for the first time, even though her name has been burned into his brain since he learned it.

“My perfect chakra control has allowed me to mask my presence since I was twelve,” she states matter-of-factly. It’s not a boast or a challenge or even said to impress him—just an answer to an unspoken question.

“That would be a useful skill for a spy,” he remarks.

“Yes, it would.”

“Is that why we’ve never seen you before?”

“Among other things,” she replies, a bit of a teasing note in her voice. “So, do you know it?”

“Do I know what?”

“How all this started.”

She’s avoiding the question, but he allows it for now, if only to spend time getting a clearer picture of this woman. “I do.”

The stories were told to him in his cradle, passed down by grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles. No Uchiha is brought into this world without knowing the story of Indra and Asura—the two brothers who were the progenitors of the Uchiha and the Senju, and the stolen birthright which started everything.

“The Senju have been selfish opportunists from the beginning,” he goes on. “They take what does not belong to them—credit, power, control—and then blame others for their failures.”

“And the Uchiha have been perfect examples of restraint?” Sakura counters dryly. “Your people spent decades slaughtering each other and everyone else.”

He can’t exactly argue with that. Those dark days are literally written in stone.

“Senju Hashirama,” Sasuke offers quietly. “Your beloved leader’s grandfather is the reason for the conflict.”

“You would say that,” she sighs. “I suppose you never heard the story that he and Uchiha Madara were friends. A lot like you and Naruto.”

Sasuke splutters and glares up at her. “I am not friends with Uzumaki. In case you’ve failed to notice, we spend most days trying to kill each other.”

“And I’m having a conversation with the man who stabbed me,” she shrugs. “Humans tend to do things that make no sense.”

He has no idea what to say to that, but he suspects offering any argument will lead to more of her twisted logic.

“People say they tried to find peace,” she continues, as if she didn’t just make the most ridiculous accusation. “Hashirama and Madara tried to build a village together, to stop all the fighting. But it didn’t work.” She snorts. “Which version did you get growing up?”

“Version?” he echoes, looking up this time.

“You really think we all know the same story?” Sakura asks, amused, gazing down at him. The moonlight makes her hair look silver. “If that were the case, I doubt there would still be fighting.”

Sasuke doesn’t answer, wondering if she’s right and suspecting she’s not. He knows that as long as there are humans, there will always be needless battles and wars.

“My parents used to say it was because of the daimyō,” she goes on, as if they’re having a conversation about the weather. “They were worried about the shinobi becoming more powerful because they were united now. And so, they engineered a war to bring down their numbers. Only it backfired because the Senju and the Uchiha could not work together.”

Sasuke thinks on this.

He is familiar with the theory that the daimyō were worried about a centralised shinobi power arising. But the story his family always told was that Senju Hashirama betrayed Uchiha Madara in the worst way possible. No one knows exactly what the betrayal was—the specifics vary according to who tells the story. Sasuke’s father told him Hashirama tricked Madara out of the leadership of their utopian village. His mother said that it was all down to a woman they both loved, and who ultimately chose Hashirama. Sasuke always found Mother’s tale to be completely unlikely. He’s never had a use for such emotional drivel. No one woman could inspire such a change in ideals, to cause a war where countless lives have been lost and lands torn apart by deep-rooted hatred.

And even if one could…

His thoughts trail off as he stares up at Sakura as she gazes at the moon. A second later, Sasuke shakes his head.

Even if he survived long enough to meet such a woman, it would mean nothing. He will marry Hyūga Hinata to strengthen his bloodline and finally wipe out the Senju and Uzumaki threat. There will be no sentiment involved, no confusion. He won’t have to worry about his future wife making him question himself with irrational flights of fancy.

And yet, he can’t find it in himself to reach for his blade and attack, or to raise the alarm for the watchmen to come running. Trying to cover his own confusion, Sasuke turns his back on the tree and the woman in it.

“The next time I see you on our borders, I will kill you,” he hisses as he walks away. He refuses to look back to see if Sakura has left, or if she’s still perched in the branches like a tree spirit.

戦国時代

Within weeks, it becomes clear that Itachi’s preference for solitude has never been just about needing momentary solace.

Sasuke learns that his brother’s blindness is not the result of an enemy jutsu, but a symptom of the disease Itachi has hidden for years—a sickness that weakens him every day, sapping his strength and mobility. Before Sasuke’s eyes, his brother grows thinner and weaker, coughing up blood and fighting just to raise a hand.

“Put it out of your mind, little brother,” he says, smiling gently whenever Sasuke visits him at the end of the day. “There’s still more than enough time.”

But when he reaches to tap Sasuke’s forehead in affectionate reprimand, the gesture is as feeble as the graze of a butterfly’s wings.

This stark reality adds to Sasuke’s wakeful nights and keeps him preoccupied by day. He tells his clansmen and their vassals that Itachi has caught an aggressive pneumonia—the damp conditions in the trenches make this a believable lie.

In secret, he seeks out help.

Through the course of months, Sasuke quietly brings in every medic among their forces, every village healer and hedge witch, but no one has an answer or hope to give. Even Obito’s wife, Rin, a talented healer in her own right, is mystified.

For a week, Sasuke wrestles with himself, knowing that they need a more advanced healer—knowing exactly who would be the most competent person to seek out. But certainly, she wouldn’t be so foolish as to heal the leader of the enemy forces. Sasuke doubts even Uzumaki could shrug off that as anything but treason, not to say what Senju Tsunade would think of it.  

He tries to ignore the naïve part of him that believes she would agree if he asked. For the most part, Sasuke succeeds in this until one night when Itachi’s condition worsens.

A coughing fit sends Itachi into a seizure, and when he emerges, he can barely speak. His usually keen eyes are dull with pain and confusion, and Sasuke decides right then that he will take whatever chance is necessary to help his brother.

He slips away from the camp by night, extracting from Hyūga a promise that he will keep Itachi safe before setting off to find the one woman who can help. It’s a mission that could get him killed if he gets caught—might get her killed, too—but it’s a price he’s willing to pay. Itachi has been the only constant in his life, a good and peaceful soul trapped in a war he never should’ve been part of. Sasuke will burn down the world if it means saving the man who practically raised him when their parents died.

The current border between Uchiha and Senju land falls along a barren, rocky seashore. Upon reaching it, he hesitates. The moment he steps over the boundary, he is risking not only his personal well-being, but is also handing the enemy a pivotal bargaining chip. More than that, he’ll be asking someone for help—something he hasn’t done since childhood.

It’s a distracting enough conundrum that he doesn’t notice, until it’s too late, that he’s not alone.

Three figures materialise around him, and before he can react, he feels a swift, burning pain lance through him. From the sudden difficulty Sasuke has breathing, he suspects one of his assailants has landed a blow beneath his floating rib.

Turning to face them, blood soaking down his front, Sasuke makes out two men and a woman wearing the mark of Oto—mercenaries with loyalty to the highest bidder. This insult more than anything else infuriates him, and he wastes no time in disposing of them.

Still, the damage is done, and he knows before examining the broad slit in his side that the wound is fatal. His attacker’s blade cut deep, nicking either a kidney or a vein, and his violent disposal of his attackers did not help.

As his knees buckle, it starts to rain.

He lies there in the damp sand, inches from lapping waves, gasping and alone, thinking how this was not how he was supposed to die.

戦国時代

Unconsciousness bring with it a rare peace.

Sasuke dreams of Sakura, imagining her voice and a soothing coolness against the raging pain in his side. He envisions being lifted from the damp ground and cradled against her chest—it must be her chest because he hears a heartbeat, and it’s racing too fast to be his own. For once, any embarrassment or self-repudiation he might feel is blissfully absent.

When he awakens, he’s no longer on the seashore, but in a damp, dimly-lit cave. In the distance, he hears the lap of water and steady rush of rain, suggesting he isn’t far from the shore where he fell.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees his sword propped against a rock, his bloodstained haori and hakama draped across another. A fire has been constructed nearby which casts shadows across the damp walls. It and the unfamiliar haori draped over him keeps him warm and dry.

And of course, it’s Sakura who kneels by his side, her face set in what he assumes is an uncharacteristic frown.

“You almost died,” she whispers.

He coughs. “You should’ve let me.”

Sakura shoots him an unamused look. Her eyes crackle with an anger he hasn’t seen before. “You damned idiot.”

And for some reason, he wants to laugh, but the first dry chuckle hurts too much, and Sakura pokes his shoulder in reprimand.

“Stop it—I healed all of your injuries, but you are still weak.”

Sasuke grimaces at those words. “I am not weak.”

“Poor word choice,” she acknowledges. “Your body will be compensating for the rapid cellular regeneration for a while, so please refrain from making any more stupid decisions.”

“No more moonlit walks through forbidden ground,” he agrees, and he thinks his blood must not be replenished yet because that comes out more as banter than sarcasm. Obviously, he’s still lightheaded.

Sakura reaches for his brow, ostensibly to check his temperature, and Sasuke shivers at the sensation of her palm on his skin. He suspects she’ll find it warmer than it should be, although he’s not entirely sure that’s due to his body fighting off infection.

“What were you even doing there?” she asks softly, and instantly, he remembers his mission.

Itachi.

Sasuke struggles to sit up, not wanting to have this conversation with her while lying on his back. It’s bad enough he’ll have to ask her for help, especially after she just saved his life. It’s incredibly fortuitous that she was close by.

Wait.

He frowns at her. “What were you doing there?”

Sakura’s cheeks flush with colour and she looks away.

“Sometimes, I go there to think. The water is calming and sometimes…sometimes, it’s so quiet along the shore that I can pretend all the rest is just a dream,” she confesses. There’s no need to elaborate on what all the rest means.

“And by some coincidence, you chose tonight to do this?” Sasuke asks, suspicious. “You just happened to arrive right after I was attacked, but not before. And you just happened to be there to help?”

She stares at him now, confused. “Do you think I set you up?”

“Did you?” he challenges. “Because healing the enemy is something no one in this war but you would conceive of. Not without some ulterior motive.”

“You’re…angry at me…because I helped you?”

“We are on opposite sides,” he snaps. “And you’re the only one who refuses to understand that.”

“This did not happen in battle!” Sakura shoots back, gesturing at the newly healed scar in his side. “This was someone—someone not on my side—trying to kill you!”

“No one knew I was there,” he reasons stubbornly. “I took particular care. The only people who would attempt to assassinate me is one of you damned Senju or Uzumaki. Or your hired mercenaries.”

“Those people I found beside you were not ours,” Sakura insists angrily. “Hired or otherwise.”

“You don’t know that—your side counts rabble among your allies,” he dismisses. “Men and women who do not even belong to a reputable shinobi clan.”

“Why does belonging to a clan matter?” Sakura demands, and he can see that he’s insulted her. “It made no difference to them. They almost killed you.”

“Almost.”

“Because I saved you, you ridiculous man!” she snaps. “Do you even hear yourself? Repeating some inane story over and over again until you think it holds truth! That’s insanity! You never answered me before, Sasuke-kun—do you even know why we continue to fight?”

There it is again. That maddening familiarity—as if she has the right to call him by his name.

Sasuke jerks away from her and struggles to his feet. She follows his movements, but it’s a little less impressive given that she’s half a head shorter than he.

“It’s simple—I am Uchiha. You are not my ally. And I should’ve known better than to come looking for you,” he says, turning toward the mouth of the cave. “A fool’s notion. I won’t make it again.”

She’s behind him, steadying him with a gentle, but firm, grasp.

“You were looking for me?” she asks, voice soft and sounding so hopeful that his stomach jumps.

Sasuke scowls and pulls away from her.

“Don’t touch me,” he growls, but there is an edge of panic in his voice. He swallows it down—She can’t notice it!—and adds in a more threatening tone, “My mercy has its limit, and you are testing it.”

Sakura takes a step back, although he’s chagrined to see it’s not in fear, but as if she’s simply acquiescing to his wishes—a medic humouring her patient. The insult rankles, and before he can think better of it, he lashes out at her.

He’s still weak, though, and she pins him with an ease that would embarrass if anyone else saw it. He’s pushed against the rough cave wall, her hands immobilizing his wrists. She stops him from sweeping her feet out from under her by pressing close to him, bracketing his leg between her thighs. Her hair is in his face and she smells like firewood, rain, and something floral. It makes it hard to concentrate on her words, which are angry and frustrated.

“What’s the matter with you?” she demands. “Why are you like this? Do you even know what gratitude is? If I wanted to kill you, I could have so many times already, but I didn’t!”

“Because you want something,” he bites out.

“I want nothing!” she snaps. “At least…not in the way you think. I have no interest in enemy secrets or battle plans or…or anything to do with this damned war! I just want to help the people who are hurting, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted!”

Sakura’s cheeks are flushed with colour and there are tears in her eyes, but he senses they’re angry instead of sad.

“If that were true, you would’ve left this land and found somewhere untouched by the war,” he tells her coolly. “Your idealism means nothing here—it doesn’t differ from a child’s.”

Her fingers tighten painfully around his wrists, and he tries to hold back any visible wince.

“Do you never dream of something more?” she asks, searching his face desperately. “Do you ever want more? Or do you just want to keep fighting like this? Keep distrusting everyone you meet for the rest of your life?” He remains silent. “Is there a single place in your heart, no matter how small, that doesn’t see an enemy when you look at me? Or has this war completely destroyed that?” When he continues to glare in silence, she sighs. “Never mind.”

Sakura loosens her grip on him and pulls away. Sasuke immediately turns the tables, grabbing her and shoving her back against the cave wall, one hand around her neck.

“I doubt your abilities can heal you if I break your neck,” he growls at her, leaning in until they are inches apart. He feels the hard ridge of her oesophagus against his palm, knows the exact amount of force it would take to crush it, and silently dares her to give him an excuse.

“Doesn’t…really matter, does it?” she rasps in reply, her polite speech evaporating in the face of impending death. “My…childish ideas mean nothing here…you said it yourself. You’d be…doing me a favour…right?”

Sasuke tightens his grip incrementally, staring into her eyes and watching the flash of alarm as her oxygen is cut off a little more. It would really only be the matter of adjusting his position slightly…

When he moves, it’s not the way either of them expect.

Instead of crushing her windpipe, his hand slides from her throat to the collar of her kosode, fastening onto the fabric there and hauling her toward him. Crushing his mouth against hers, he feels the startled, oxygen-deprived gasp against his lips, and senses the flail of her hands as they try to find purchase somewhere. One lands on his bare shoulder and it’s as if a current has been run through him—the hairs on the back of his neck rise and a shiver creeps down his spine.

Sense forces its way past impulse and Sasuke pulls back, shocked and appalled by his loss of control. Of all the ways he’s been trained to deal with an enemy, this is certainly not one of them.

In the flickering dimness of the cave, he catches sight of something dark and hungry in those damned green eyes of hers. Then she’s the one to shove forward and kiss him, just as furious and angry as he was moments ago. Her hands are in his hair, teeth tugging hard enough at his lower lip that he tastes blood.

This is not how it’s supposed to go—not an intelligent course of action in any way. But as she wraps one leg around his hip to draw him in closer, he finds he doesn’t care.

In fact, it’s worryingly easy to give in.

 つづく

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Thanks for your interest in my work!

クリ

Next Chapter

[wrestlingisfake]

Wrestle Kingdom 13 preview

This is New Japan’s 28th annual January 4th stadium show (and the 13th time it’s been called “Wrestle Kingdom.”)  In Japan the New Year is a multi-day celebration, where kids are given money and many businesses are closed through 1/3, so running a 1/4 show is kind of like doing an after-Christmas sale, except you spend your money on wrestling.

This show is scheduled to start Friday at 4pm in Tokyo.  I think the pre-show match will be at 4, and then they’ll take a break and the main card’s opening match will be at 5.  The main card will probably run about four or five hours, if not longer.  You can check your local start time here.   Watching the show live is fun, but planning your sleep around it can be exhausting, so don’t feel bad about catching it on-demand over the weekend.

Kenny Omega vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi - Omega is defending the IWGP heavyweight championship, which is essentially New Japan’s world title.  Tanahashi won the 2018 G1 Climax tournament to earn this title shot. 

The build for this match has revolved around the idea of a difference in styles.  In the 2000s, Tana led NJPW out of a decline into a new boom period, largely built around the Japanese strong style.  Omega, who sees himself as the Next Big Thing, believes the company should shift to a mix of styles to better appeal to an international audience.  You can kind of liken this to the conflict between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels in the mid-90s--old school versus new school, solid fundamentals and realism versus showmanship and some irreverance.  Frankly, I haven’t heard much of Tanahashi’s side of things, so it’s come across to me like Kenny is making a mountain out of a molehill, but there you go.

Tanahashi was literally the company’s ace for about a decade, but he hasn’t held the IWGP title in five years, and his story arc since then has been about slowly falling out of the limelight while Kazuchika Okada has picked up the ball.  Major defeats and real-life injuries were heavily emphasized in early 2018, to set up the reversal of him winning the G1 Climax in dominant fashion.  So now at 42, he’s doing the big “still got something left in the tank” comeback, which has reenergized his fanbase.  His G1 final victory was one of my favorite matches of the year, and it’s been a treat to see him back on top.

Omega famously moved up from the junior heavyweight division in 2016--taking over Bullet Club and introducing The Elite in the process--leading to an epic rivalry with Okada for the title.  The Okada/Omega feud basically broke Dave Meltzer’s scale, producing six-star ratings and finally an unthinkable seven-star match.  Omega is at the top of his game in New Japan, and arguably where he always wanted to be.  But his contract is expiring this month, and the Elite have vowed to stick together, and most of them have already declared their intention to start their own US promotion, All Elite Wrestling.  It’s not yet clear if Omega wil leave NJPW for AEW, or if he can somehow do both; it’s not impossible that he could pass on AEW and stay in NJPW, although that would be a surprising turn.  Omega’s future plans could dictate the outcome of this match, which means the outcome may be our first sign of what those plans might be.

I’m expecting a Match of the Year candidate from these two.  Is it going to be some insanely perfect match that breaks Meltzer’s scale again?  It’s not worth raising expectations that high.  If it’s “only” 4¾ it’ll still be fucking fantastic, and then you’ve got the drama of Tana’s comeback and Omega’s possible farewell on top of that.

My gut says it’s time for Omega to lose the title, and time for Tanahashi to win it.  Even if Omega re-signs (or continues with the company as a free agent), I think the time is right for him to get knocked down and get back up.  And if Omega is leaving, there’s no better way to go out than on top, doing the honors for a living legend in the main event, and giving a final bow to the crowd at the Tokyo Dome.

Chris Jericho vs. Tetsuya Naito - Jericho defeated Naito to capture the IWGP intercontinental championship back in June, so this is the rematch.  A stipulation has been added that neither man can be disqualified, at Jericho’s request during the contract signing.

Jericho unexpectedly came to New Japan in 2017 to set up what seemed to be a one-off match with Kenny Omega for Wrestle Kingdom 12 last year.  Perhaps sensing that he couldn’t steal the show in terms of workrate or technical finesse, Jericho reinvented himself as an out-of-control brawler, which at least set him apart from the regular headliners.  Just when we thought he was gone, though, he assaulted Naito on the January 5 show (New Year’s Dash) to set up his next big program.  It’s really a perfect rivalry, since Naito is all about remaining totally chill, whereas Jericho’s current character is uptight, frustrated, and in his own words “fucking crazy.”  In their first match, Jericho pretty much brutalized Naito in shocking fashion to win the title, so this is less about the gold than Naito getting some payback.

Jericho has hyped this match by arguing that he’s never lost to a Japanese man since returning to New Japan.  It’s not a very impressive stat, since he’s only had three matches in this run and he’s 2-1.  But it’s about all he can hang his hat on, since everybody knows he’s basically the aging star who will put over the big stars at the end of each of his feuds.  The only reason anyone would think Jericho could win this match would be to set up a future match so he can just lose to Naito later.  That’s okay--not every feud has to be an unpredictable  pick-’em--although I am impressed with his ability to make the most of the situation, and still come across like a major test for Naito.

The irony of Naito being favored to regain the intercontinental title is that he infamously thinks the championship is redundant and unimportant.   (In his first reign, he tossed the belt around like it was trash, letting it literally fall apart.)  So in theory winning this match would be a prestigious moment, except he’s going to be handed a prize he explicitly does not want or care about.  I’m sort of curious how they’ll book a third IC title run for Naito, and I think we’re about to find out.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White - This is a pure grudge match, plain and simple. 

A year ago Kenny Omega tried to recruit White for Bullet Club, but Jay swerved him and accepted Okada’s invitation to join CHAOS.  Within ten minutes of joining the stable, White literally promised that he would betray Okada, to Okada’s face.  Jay went on to a beat Kenny Omega for the US title, stole the show in the San Fransciso, and then scored wins over Okada and Tanahshi in the G1 Climax.  When Tana won G1, White logically deserved a chance to challenge him for the Wrestle Kingdom title shot, but Tana preferred to challenge Okada instead.  After Tanahashi beat Okada in September, White laid them both out with help from Okada’s right-hand man Gedo, and demanded a match with Tana.  White came up short against Tanahashi in October, so he and Gedo beat Tana down; Okada ran in to make the save.  Bullet Club (which had by then separated from Omega’s Elite) interfered to reveal White and Gedo were now part of the faction.  Jay White has since been acknowledged as the undisputed leader of Bullet Club, bringing his 2018 full circle.

Needless to say, it’s been a huge year for White.  It’s amazing to think that he only returned from excursion a little over a year ago, and that he was a curtain jerker before that.  If Kenny Omega is really on his way out, there’s a huge spot opening for the top foreigner, and it’s pretty clear who NJPW has earmarked for that role.  But what’s more amazing is that he’s risen to the occasion.  Jay White always had this deer-in-headlights look, and his Switchblade gimmick felt like a WWE-esque attempt to market a stringy-haired white boy as a deadly badass.  I wanted him to do well, but I didn’t expect much; I never dreamed he’d be capable of what he’s accomplished.

Meanwhile, Okada has been doing sort of a slump storyline, where he’s struggled to find his way after Omega ended his two-year title reign back in June.  His slump fits perfectly with White’s rise, since Jay clearly thinks he’s finishing off a has-been, and Okada needs to resist that kind of thinking if he’s ever going to get back on top.  The big question, of course, is whether White wins here to send Okada tumbling further down, or if Okada finally gets the big victory that has eluded him for six months.  Either man could recover from a loss down the road, which means anything could happen here, which is pretty exciting.  But the Ranmaker is The Guy in New Japan these days, and I’ve long since learned not to bet against him.  Okada wins. 

KUSHIDA vs. Taiji Ishimori - Ishimori is challenging for the IWGP junior heavyweight title.  Ishimori was introduced in April as Bullet Club’s new “Bone Soldier” (the previous one had been lovable jobber Captain New Japan, so this was an improvement).  He was the runner up in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, losing a great match to Hiromu Takahashi.  Between Takahashi’s injury, Will Ospreay’s chase for the NEVER title, and Marty Scurll’s probable departure, it looks like Ishimori is the future of this division.  To prove it he’ll have to beat Kushida, who has dominated the junior division for years.

There have been rumors of Kushida possibly going to WWE (which would have been unthinkable a year or two ago, but that just goes to show how much things are shaking up in pro wrestling lately).  Of course, I haven’t heard a timetable, so for all I know he could really be leaving, but not for another six months, which would have no impact on this match.  Even so, New Japan needs to decide which guy they’re going to build this division around.  If Ishimori’s the guy, now is the time; it’s just that simple.

Cody Rhodes vs. Juice Robinson - Cody won the IWGP United States title from Juice in September, and Juice has been trying to get this rematch ever since.  Aside from the Global Wars tour with ROH, Cody hasn’t appeared with New Japan for three months, so the angle to finally make this match ended up being “New Japan just announced it one day.”

Cody has officially signed with the new All Elite Wrestling promotion, as both a wrestler and an executive vice president, so this may well be his last match in New Japan.  By all rights, he should give Juice a star-making performance and then put him over to set up another top foreigner.  But I can’t shake the feeling that there’ll be some kind of twist in the story to make me wonder where the hell they’re going with it.  Maybe it’s because I’m used to shitty WWE booking, or maybe it’s because I was so annoyed that Cody won the title from Juice in the first place.  We’ll just have to see.  But on paper, I have to think Cody does the job.

Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa vs. EVIL & SANADA vs. Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson - The Guerillas of Destiny (Tama and Loa) are the defending IWGP heavyweight tag team champions.  Evil and Sanada earned this title match by winning the 2018 World Tag League tournament, notably defeating the champs in the finals.  By all rights Evil and Sanada should get a 2-on-2 match, but the Young Bucks (Nick and Matt) pointed out that they never received a rematch after they lost the tag title to GOD in September.  So this match is a three-way, and the first team to score a fall on either opposing team wins the match and the championship.

Like Cody, the Bucks have officially signed with AEW, which may or may not spell the end of their New Japan run.  Logically, they should lose the fall, but it’s harder to say whether GOD or the spoopy creppy bois will end up with the title.  New Japan seems to be higher on Evil than anybody else in this match.  It probably doesn’t help that Tama Tonga is always doing this Brian Pillman shit where he acts like a lunatic that wants to get himself fired, to the point that I just assume he’ll be in the doghouse and lose his key matches.  If it was me, I’d push GOD hard.  But it’s not me, so Evil and Sanada are probably going to win.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. - Ishii is defending the Revolution Pro British heavyweight title.  RevPro has a working relationship with New Japan, and has been content to let the title be the centerpiece of a feud between Ishii and Suzuki-gun’s Minoru Suzuki and Sabre.  (In fact, Sabre is the only British person to have held the British title in the last three-and-a-half years.)  I’ve never gotten into either of these guys as much as, say, Dave Meltzer, but I do like the mix of “mean headbutt-y fireplug” and “submissions expert twink.”  Seems only right that the Brit should win, but I’m not sure RevPro actually cares.

Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado vs. SHO & YOH vs. Shingo Takagi & BUSHI - Despy and Kanemaru are defending the IWGP junior heavyweight tag team championship.  This is actually a rematch of the 2018 Super Jr. Tag League tournament final, which Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) won to earn this title match.  It’s not clear why Takagi and Bushi were added, but I suppose since they didn’t lose the fall in the tournament final, it can be argued they deserved a spot.  Anyway, it’s another three-way, so the first team to score a fall wins the match and the title.

Five out of six of these guys have been feuding over the title for nearly a year--originally it was Hiromu Takahashi teaming with Bushi, but Shingo was introduced to fill that spot after Hiromu’s neck injury.  Three-way feuds aren’t totally bad, but when the division only has three teams, it’s way too obvious that the feud is just lazy “put ‘em all in there” booking.  I would really like to see Sho and Yoh win the belts, and then see the other two teams split and go after the junior singles title while some new junior teams emerge.  But I’m not counting on it.  I could easily see Despy and Kanemaru retaining to drag this out further.

Kota Ibushi vs. Will Ospreay - Ibushi is defending the NEVER openweight championship.  (NEVER was sort of a spinoff brand that New Japan experimented with several years ago; all that’s left of it now are its titles.)  Originally the plan was for Ospreay to enter this match as champion, but he was sidelined with a rib injury so they eventually moved the title onto Ibushi instead.

This is technically the opening match for the main show.  One of the big stories you’ll hear about this show is that it’s so stacked that Ospreay vs. Ibushi--a dream match with very high expectations--is just the opener.  Personally, it hasn’t sunk in for me how big this could be.  I like both guys, and I’ve seen them have incredible matches, but I never really considered the implications of them working together on a big stage.  That’s probably a good place to be, since I won’t have myself worked up for an instant mega-classic where a “merely” great match would disappoint.

What really interests me is the idea of Ospreay winning the openweight title.  In theory the championship is designed for heavyweights and juniors to fight over, but in practice it’s primarily been passed around heavyweights.  (Ibushi isn’t much bigger than Ospreay, but he’s technically billed as a heavyweight.)  It would be a big loss to the junior division if Ospreay left that behind to defend against guys like Jeff Cobb or Zack Sabre or Evil, but those matches would be fresh and intriguing.  A year of Ospreay getting clobbered by heavyweights but hanging on to the title would be pretty cool.  Of course, they could be meaning to do that basic idea with Ibushi instead, so I could see either guy winning.  But I’m pulling for Ospreay.

I really hope these two don’t kill each other landing on their necks a lot. 

Trios gauntlet match - This is to determine the #1 contender team for the NEVER openweight six-man tag team championship.  The match will start with two trios; when one team wins a fall, the other is eliminated, and another team enters the match.  Teams will continue to enter one by one, giving a natural advantage to the final team.  The last team remaining wins, and goes on to  challenge Taiji Ishimori & Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa for the title on January 5 at New Year’s Dash.  Normally, the championship team would be defending the title in this match, but Ishimori and GOD were already committed to other title matches higher on the card.

The scheduled teams are:

Togi Makabe & Toru Yano & Rysuke Taguchi

Minoru Suzuki & Davey Boy Smith, Jr. & Lance Archer

Hangman Page & Marty Scurll & Yujiro Takahashi

Hirooki Goto & Chuckie T & Beretta

Yuji Nagata & Jeff Cobb & David Finlay

There probably won’t be much in the way of angles in this match, although there are some issues worth noting.  Makabe and Yano were a tag team before a nasty falling out years ago, but they found themselves on the same side recently while aiding Tanahshi and Okada against Bullet Club.  Hangman Page is known to be headed for AEW, and Scurll may be following him in a few months; Yujiro is going nowhere, and if he’s ever going to turn on the Elite, this is as good a time as any.  Chuckie T and Beretta were having some issues last month where Chuckie kept getting their team disqualified, so that’ll probably come up in some form here.  Yuji Nagata was a late addition, replacing Michael Elgin due to a knee injury.

It’s impossible to predict a winner in this thing.  On paper I think the Minoru Suzki/Killer Elite Squad group is the strongest combo.  Of course, if they start the match, their chanc’s’f winnin’ drast’lly go down.