Waterfall & Wings Version 1

Yoshitsune and his troops gain more naval allies as they advance towards Nagato, where the Heike is. Kagetoki learns that Kumano Naval Clan has agreed to help Yoshitsune and questions their loyalty.

Kagetoki: "Can they be trusted?"

Benkei: "Hai!"

Kagetoki: "I am asking Yoshitsune!"

Yoshitsune: "I trust them."

(Seriously, Kagetoki is becoming such a pain in the ass. Always being cocky and erasou ni... MUKATSUKU! He just doesn't believe anything great can be achieved without him... and underestimates Yoshitsune totally. Grrr... In fact, he is the one who will widen the rift between Yoshitsune and Yoritomo by always talking bad about him later in the show. *kicks*)

The Heike men has a strategy meeting and once again assure themselves that they have the upper hand in a naval battle.

Tomomori tells Tokiko they will definitely win the next battle but she still feels the anxiety. She devises a plan to preserve the bloodline of the Heike clan even if they should lose the battle.

Back in Kyoto, Utsubo visits Shizuka intending to update her on news about Yoshitsune but the latter already heard about it from Kichiji. Moe suddenly appears and calls the two for a word with them. The two are startled and prepares for a scolding from the "legitimate wife" but instead, Moe begs them to keep her informed about Yoshitsune too. She is afterall Yoshitsune's wife and has the duty to know what is happening to her husband.

Shizuka: "I am so sorry for making you feel left out. My being in this house must make you feel terrible..."

Moe: "It is never my intention to drive you out of this house. I just want to be able to talk to you, to exchange words normally when I meet you... Utsubo too. Afterall, it is the same man we want to protect, isn't it?"

(Sigh... Moe is such a poor victim of circumstances... KICK YORITOMO TO OKINAWA ALREADY YO!!! But come to think of it, Moe may be the luckiest of the three because she gets to xxx in the hands of Yoshitsune... T---T)

Utsubo leaves Yoshitsune's house depressed and meets Karasumaru.

Utsubo: "There seems to be many people who wants to protect Yoshitsune ne... it wouldn't make a difference less me..."

Karasumaru: "Utsubo?"

Utsubo: "Should I be happy about that? Or feel lonely..."

Karasumaru: "I will be going with Otoku to watch the battle in the west. Do you want to go too?"
Utsubo shakes her head sadly and walks away.

Meanwhile, Yoshitsune gains Funadokoro no Goro Masatoshi (what a long name) as his ally. With the addition of his fleet, he now has as many ships as the Heike. Yoshitsune learns from Funadokoro that his sister Yoshiko was indeed the one who was holding the fan during the incident at Yashima and starts to worry about her safety.

Otoku (with Karasumaru) reaches Yoshitsune's base and updates him about things in the capital. She tells him Shizuka is doing fine and Utsubo may be getting married. Kisanta gets agitated here as he has always like Utsubo while Yoshitsune is glad that Utsubo finally finds someone.

Yoshitsune has a private word with Otoku later and he asks her what her real motive for coming is. The old lady replies she just wants to witness the biggest battle ever, to witness what could be the final battle between the Genji and Heike. She wants to watch Yoshitsune in his greatest battle ever so that she can report to Kiyomori when she sees him in the other world.

Otoku: "But..."

Yoshitsune: "Hmm?"

Otoku: "What is there after the battle?"

Yoshitsune ponders in the night with a heavy heart. The truth is he does not really want to fight the Heike if he has a choice.

Later that night, Yoshitsune is informed that Noriyori is making good progress landwards towards the Heike. Benkei reminds Yoshitsune about Yoshiko. Once battle starts, it is going to be so chaotic there is no way to identify her and she may be killed. Yoshitsune decides to write a letter to her to tell her how to protect herself. (We see Takki doing calligraphy here!! LOL~ Ano, this guy with such a childish handwriting... maji de?? Hahhaha, i bet he was just doddling nonsense. Most of these handwritten Japanese look like meaningless doddles to me anyway. Hohoho~~) He has Kisanta send the letter to her secretly.

At Nagato, Tomomori briefs the ladies on what to do when battle starts. Tokiko reminds them to act as a samurai's wife should should they lose the battle (as in, to kill themselves and not be subject to humiliation by enemy troops).

Muneko: "Sister, should I call in the girl from the other clan (meaning Yoshiko) for this? She should hear this too."

Tokiko: "No, i am going to tell you all something that no one else should know. No one else but those closest to Antoku and Shinno."

Tokiko tells them that they will swap Antoku and Shinno so that if they should fall, the Genji will capture Shinno thinking he is Antoku instead. (That is to say, they are going to sacrifice Shinno to keep Antoku alive.) As long as Antoku lives, Heike's lineage will continue. Akirakeiko is particularly against this arrangement as she has been acting as Shinno's nanny ever since they left the capital but Tomomori reminds her they have no choice.

That night, Kisanta finally arrives at Yoshiko's room and passes the letter to her. In the letter, Yoshitsune begs Yoshiko to cover herself with a white cloth during battle so that the Genji will not attack her (he wrote a lot more in the letter but I can't catch all). Yoshiko cries as she reads the letter and feels the brotherly love from Yoshitsune though they have never met. However, she is troubled. She appreciates Yoshitsune's care for her but at the same time, feels guilty if she should save only herself when the time comes. Afterall, she considers herself as part of Heike.

The next day, Yoshiko accidentally learns of the plan to swap Antoku and Shinno. Muneko, afraid that she will betray them to her brother Yoshitsune, confines her in a small shed.

Yoshitsune and his fleet finally arrives at the narrow passing before Hikoshima, Dannoura. Both sides gear up for the final battle.

~End of Episode 34~