Waterfall & Wings Version 1

(Narration) February 1182. Heike's army leaves the capital. Yoritomo hears news of this and sends a huge troop to go west (of Kamakura, towards Kyoto, perhaps to intercept the Heike??), appointing one of his men Wada Yoshimori as General.

Benkei looks up Yoshitsune and finds Kajiwara Kagehide (son of Kajiwara Kagetoki, one of Yoritomo's follower. Kagetoki was the one who let Yoritomo and his men off when he discovered them hiding in the caves after a humiliating loss at battle in episode 14). Actually Benkei and the rest of the kerai are bothered by the fact that Yoritomo is ignoring Yoshitsune's presence. He asks Kagehide to speak to his father about it. Yoshitsune asks Benkei to stop. (Then i get lost here as they talk about a person called Shida no Yoshihiro... Dare???... and the different competing in factions within Genji, namely Yoritomo and Yoshinaka.) Yoshitsune laments about why they are fighting among themselves even though they are all Genji. (Then I think Kagehide says something about how Yoshitsune and company may finally get a chance to go to battle if *something* happens... aaargh~, i don't understand battle talk!! x__x) And Benkei seems REALLY excited at this prospect, that they finally can work for Yoritomo and prove their worth. (-_-;;; Go home already, go home to Hiraizumi!!)

But anyway, that *something* did not happen as expected and so goes Yoshitsune's chance to perform. His kerai are frustrated. The Sato brothers apologise to Yoshitsune, blaming themselves for what happened (as in Yoshistune lost his chance because he fought to keep them with him). Yoshitsune tells them it has nothing to do with them and walks out into the rain, telling them to enjoy it.

Meanwhile, Yukiie visits Yoshinaka. He entices Yoshinaka to send out troops to the capital to attack the Heike before Yoritomo does. By being one step ahead, Yoshinaka can well become the main leader of the Genji clan. Yoshinaka and his wife Tomoe, who are always starving for battle, fame and power are quick to accept this suggestion and falls for Yukiie's "trick".

Yoritomo leaves Kamakura to meet Yoshinaka.

Yoshitsune, Noriyori and Kagehide have a game of archery as they discusses things. (Seems that they are all on the same "frequency". They talk a lot about Yukiie and Yoshinaka, and how they don't agree with some of the things that Yoritomo is doing. Can't really catch most of what they say.) Noriyori wonders why Yoritomo is wasting time with Yoshinaka instead of going after the Heike when they are vulnerable now. Yoshitsune thinks maybe he wants to unite the Genji as one clan first before attacking. Noriyori then asks Kagehide why they turned their backs on the Heike. (I think Kagehide said his father does not agree with some of the things that the Heike did. Something about the capital? Perhaps about the relocation of it. So his father decided to join Yoritomo, although he wonders himself what kind of a person is Yoritomo.)

Yoritomo and Yoshinaka's army comes to a standstill at Shinano (current day Nagano). Yoshinaka is shocked to learn that Yoritomo's army is 100,000 huge which Yukiie of course, did not tell him about. Yukiie says they should fight anyway but the rest are against him as lives are at stake. Realising that chances of winning are nought, he sends one of his men to talk peace with Yoritomo, to tell him that they are just after the Heike and have nothing against him. Yoritomo wants Yoshinaka to hand over Yukiie to prove that. Although Yoshinaka is not obliged to protect Yukiie, but to surrender people who have come to him for help that easily, he will lose the confidence of his surbodinates. Hence he rejects Yoritomo's request. But Yoritomo changes his mind too. He pretends to admire Yoshinaka for his "graciousness" in protecting Yukiie and withdraws his request. However, in order to strengthen the ties between them, he "hopes" Yoshinaka will let his son be the groom of his daughter and come to Kamakura (all of a sudden he has a daughter...). This is in fact a request for hostage but masked as a marriage proposal. By keeping Yoshinaka's son, Yoshitaka with him at Kamakura, Yoritomo can be sure Yoshinaka will "behave" himself.

Tomoe rejects violently to this request. She has been bringing up Yoshinaka as if he is really her son and refuses to surrender the boy. She does not understand why Yoshinaka is willing to trade Yoshitaka for Yukiie. Yoshinaka is in a dilemma. He cannot hand Yukiie (against his will) to Yoritomo but does not want to lose his son either. Tomoe yells at Yukiie to leave them but the crafty old man dodges the question. Seeing the adults in such a dilemma, Yoshitaka decides for himself, he will go to Kamakura.

A few days later, Yoshitaka leaves for Kamakura as Tomoe watches in tears.

Meanwhile in the capital, Munemori's son Kiyomune and Netsuko gets married, thus enlarging the Heike clan. (Netsuko is the daughter of this person called Yorimori, who is actually Kiyomori's half-brother. This makes the couple cousins i guess. Anyway, Yorimori seems to hold a certain amount of power, thus beneficial to the Heike clan. Intermarriages are a way to strengthen ties within a clan.)

(Munemori, Tomomori and Tokiko then argues about something i don't understand... ha ha haaa~ -__-;;; But it has something to do with strengthening the clan to oppose the rising Genji.) Later that night, Tokiko asks Tekona what kind of woman Masako is. Tekona replies that as Masako is brought up among boys, she behaves like one. She can ride horses and fights together with the men. She has a strong character (full of pride) and goes out of her way to make sure she gets her wishes.

Yoshitaka reaches Kamakura and is introduced to Oohime, Yoritomo's daughter. (Although i HATE Yoritomo and Masako, their daughter is damn kawaii!) Masako proposes to Yoritomo to let Yoshitsune take care of Yoshitaka and Oohime. Yoritomo isn't so sure he wants to give such a job to Yoshitsune but admits he has been at a loss about what to do with him. Masako however thinks that giving him such a task and observing how he takes it, it will reveal Yoshitsune's true character and let them see where his loyalty lies. (*stabs Masako repeatedly*)

Benkei and the rest aren't that happy to hear that Yoshitsune has been given such a lowly job that even a woman is capable of. Yoshitsune doesn't seem to mind though. He visits the children and impresses them with his flying skills. The ice is broken.

(narration) At this time, Yoshitsune still has no idea of the sad fate that will befall these two children. (ehhh...? Nani nani???)

~End of Episode 20~