Kawakami Kazuko: Keep on Pushing Forwards!

Yamato approached the lone figure sitting on the grassy slope. "Hey Wanko, can I sit here?" She looked up, her eyes a little swollen. She blankly nodded her head as she stared at the far off distance. He sat beside her, their shoulders touching as they basked in the warm glow of the sunset. With nothing but silence between the two of them.

Yamato heard her soft sobs as she hugged her knees closer. She leaned her head on Yamato's shoulders as she cried her heart out. Yamato wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He let her express her feelings. Yamato looked up in the sky. "Come to think of it. Along with Cap't, I've known you the longest." She nodded her head as she buried her face on her knees. "You've always been a crybaby." He said as he soflty chuckled and rubbed her head.

"All these years... I've worked hard. In the end, I still failed." She said in between muffled sobs. Yamato opened his eyes wide and stared at her. "You did your best." She shooke her head, "My best wasn't good enough. I worked so hard too."

"Back when we were kids, everyone said that, if you worked hard, your dreams will come true. Now, I don't believe it. Even for one second." Yamato stared at her silently. "My goal was like to be Onee-sama. I guess I'm not that talented. I wanted to prove that even if I'm not a real daughter of the Kawakami Temple, I can do it as well." She stared at the river with empty eyes. "Deep down inside, I know that I'll never be like Onee-sama or Gramps." She sobbed and screamed. Yamato couldn't sit idly by as he hugged her tight.

"Y'know I almost went towards the old orphanage. I wanted to search for my own parents. I wanted to know what kind of people they are. Perhaps there's a clue on what I could be if not an assistant master. I couldn't, I don't want to hurt everyone at the temple who took care of me since I was a kid." She said as she smiled ruefully. Yamato furrowed his brows, "What do you mean you failed?"

She chuckled dryly, "An Assistant Master exam. I will most absolutely fail it." Yamato rubbed her head, "It Hasn't happened yet right?" She nodded her head.

"Nee... Yamato, What would you do if your dreams ever since a kid was nothing but a pipe dream. An impossible and out of reach dream." She said as she stared at him. He opened his eyes wide and sighed as he stared at the Tama River.

"When I was a kid, my dad told me he gave up on this country. He told me he wanted to take me with him to another country to start a new. I said no of course, I didn't want to abandon the connections I made, with the people I could call my siblings. As unruly as they may be... They were my friends." He said as he laughed dryly and stared at Kazuko's eyes. "You know what I told him?" She tilted her head on the side.

"Dad! I'm going to be the next Prime Minister. I will clean this country. I want you to love the country you gave up on once again. So that when I grow up we could spend our days here again." Kazuko smiled gently at his words. "I even made plans and wrote it on a notebook. I thought to myself. Where better to start than my own hometown? I called it the Kawakami Revival plan." He said as he reminisced.

"As I grew up, I noticed the same things that made him fall out of love with it as well. In the end the end I treated my dreams as something only a child would dream of. Day by day, I spent less and less time on making an effort towards my dreams. I've become jaded. Just like my father, I view this country the same as he did before." Kazuko, although she knew this from those memories, she was still surprised to hear it from the person himself.

"That's why everytime I see you doing your best. Training day in day out, not knowing where your path may lead yet you kept going. Even if you fall down, you stood back up. You ran even faster than before. I envy that drive." He said with a sad smile. "Yamato..." She said as she stared at him. "Everytime I see that cheerful smile, I think to myself. Aaaahhh, Why can't I be more like her. I wanted to change this country too damnit! I also wanted to become something more! I don't want to give up." He said as he gripped his fists tightly.

"That's why... That's why... Seeing you hurt like this... Breaks my heart. Someone I admired from her sheer tenacity and hard work be broken down by the world like this, Makes me think that, If she gave up then what now. If she won't move forwards then who will?" He said as he smiled gently at her. She shook her head, "Unlike me Yamato, you're smart. You're definetly capable of doing big things." She said with a sad smile. He sighed, "What's the point of being smart. You only see the depth's of the well more clearly than others." He stared at the riverbed, "On the contrary, I'm stupid enough to believe in such a childish dream."

She chuckled to herself, "We're so stupid. We have nothing left..." Yamato softly laughed along with her. "What are we gonna do? The future seems so blurry. I honestly wanted to buy a book. You see I've always been particular about nutrients in food right? So maybe just maybe I could become an amazing dietician." Yamato smiled at her.

"That's something you have to find out yourself. Well, knowing you, as soon as you find that next big dream, you'll devote yourself to it." Yamato said while chuckling. "But I'm nothing now." Yamato shook his head, "No matter what happens, you're still you." Kazuko smiled softly, "That's not true! I'm just an idiot with a broken dream."

"No, knowing you. Whatever awaits you in that road will be a bright one. I believe in you! I know that although you're dreams maybe shattered, It won't be long till you find a new path. Rely on me! Rely on us! Rely on the Kazama Family to find a brighter one." He said as he stared at her hard. "Yamato..." She said as she wiped her tears and looked at him.

"Is that what you thought I'd say? You idiot!" He said as he flicked her across the forehead. "Oww!!" She held her forehead and stared at Yamato blankly. He stood up and grinned, "If it was me a few days ago, I would've consoled you and help you find another dream in full earnesty. However! What you're talking about is the future. That hasn't happened yet! Something as blurry as the future, someone like Wanko shouldn't be worrying about that!" He drew a breath and exhaled, "The Kazuko I know wouldn't fall down by a setback like this. I know what you'd say. It's hopeless. I'm not that strong enough. You Idiot! We can train together!"

Kazuko sighed, "Even with training it won't work. I'm just not good enough." Yamato flicked her in the forehead again. "You idiot! I didn't suggest normal training! Nor did I suggest a training in the mountains! I'm talking about a way that could make you even stronger than before! Why the hell are you giving up!? You've barely made it half way through that dark tunnel! Don't give up so early! The future ain't set in stone Dammit!" Kazuko stared at him silently. Yamato crouched down and patted her head, "I walk the endless wilds before me, turning away from the glow of the city. There are no miracles, no path to guide me, only the night." He said as he grinned towards her.

She opened her eyes wide and smiled, "But my unwavering will shall provide as I journey on into the darkness." They both stood up and stared at the setting sun. They inhaled at the same time and they both shouted across the river, "Keep on Pushing Forwards!!!!!"

Kazuko turned towards Yamato and beamed a smile. "Yamato!!!!!" She jumped in his arms. "Thank you!" Yamato brushed her hair, "I'm serious you know. Don't give up so early. I have a way. I'm not the Tactician for nothing. I am capable of making plans during unexpected events! Something I wouldn't have said if it was the old m--" Before he could continue his words Kazuko has already sealed his lips.

"Yamato! I'm going to keep pushing forwards! Watch me! I'm not gonna let something like a prediction of the future stop me!" She said as the sunset shone on her dazzling figure. "o-oh... Y-yeah." He said as he was stunned into silence. She grinned at him, "I bet you didn't expect that huh Tactician?" She then looked across the Horizon with a red face and started jogging home.

Yamato on the other hand touched his lips. "What... Just happened?" Then as he was staring at Kazuko's fading figure his phone chimed.

[Well said Naoe Yamato! Break the chains of Fate and Keep on Pushing Forwards!]