A fantastic tale!

I love the attention to historical and cultural detail. It was enough to give the story flavor without overwhelming the reader with trivia.

Well done. Good plot, different, interesting, good characterization--I enjoyed it very much.

Lovely story. Intricately woven and interesting perspective of ending first for Kaede and Takeshi with coming back to the beginning for them. Truly the ending is also a beginning for Buffy and Spike. Very Well Done!

And what is to come? Will we ever see another story set in this verse or are you done with it?

I for one, would love to see another story.

You're writing is fantastic. :). Keep it up.

I liked it. Very original. I liked the Japanese mythology, i think this is the first fic i've read that used that. I really hope you might be planning a sequel.

This was one of the best written fics I've read in a very long time. Totally believable as an episode, very in-character, and fabulous dialog. Not to mention, your original characters, whom I loved! I don't normally enjoy it when an author creates their own major players, but your's were perfection to read. Great job!

I've been staring at this story for weeks, more inportantly: at how often you update, which was frequently. Today, I was finally going to break down and read it when I saw that it was finished. I just wanted to say that you have crafted an amazing piece of work, it keeps the reader interested. You don't know what you want to read more- what's going on in the present, or in the past. Nothing seems forced, or corny. And the end isn't REALLY an end, there's still a taste of mystery, nothing's resolved. I don't mean to make a speech, just say that this is one of the best stories I've read in a long while.

simply beautiful

Good ending.Stupid Riley.I'm glad you updated so soon.Start a new story soon.Eight weeks and 42 days(not counting weekends and days off)until I'm done with school for the summer.

Beautiful visuals you gave us here.

thanks for the fine read. iwould also like to thank your beta, LimitlessD, for bullying.

Both girls have their wounded warriors. . . . hav I mentioned how much I love how you've wovent together the two stories?

Nice job on the Initiative and with the dusting of Orochi. The attempt to rescue Cardbored however, not so good. Poor Spike. More story please.

good update, except for not leaving riley to rot. thanks for the read.

Good chapter.I like that Buffy just left Riley there.I am currently freezing in my house.
Stupid western Pennsylvania weather with the snow in March during spring.(Earlier I was so hot,I could barely stand it and now I'm freezing.I'd rather be hot than cold,but I prefer to be warm.)I haven't really found any good Spuffy fanfics in awhile, and yours is one of the best. Update soon.

The bittersweet beginning of Kaede and Takeshi counterpointed by a more hopeful beginning for Buffy and Spike -- throw in some lovely slaying and you've got a wonderful mix going on.

really enjoying this story. thanks for the fine read.

ooooooooh....ive been itching for a goodfight...im really hoping for a fight...come on give it to me!...anyway good chappie...keep itup

I like to read reviews sometimes before I start reading WIPs,and since they were good,I decided to give this a try.(If they're completed stories,I read the last chapter.If I hate the last chapter,I will refuse to read the story.)I hope Willow's spell works.Do you watch Supernatural,
Grey's Anatomy,Bones,and How I Met Your Mother?I started watching "Bones" and "HIMYM" because of David and Alyson.I wasn't disappointed.Supernatural and Grey's Anatomy are great,but I have to find a crossover story. Update soon.

Poor Kaede -- losing herself in the fight, longing for an end to it, only to have Takeshi enter and be taken from her so quickly -- very much mirrored Buffy's growing desperation in season 5 and how severely damaging her return must have been to her.

Teeheehee on Willow's Klingon cloaking devices. I certainly hope they work as advertised and the smell of them doesn't alert anybody to their presence. More story please.

buffy without preconceptions? fascinating concept. very good read. thanks

Meant to mention this in the last review -- but did Ichiro set up Takeshi to die? That bit has been weighing on my mind since I read it the first time.

Love how this chapter is two sides of the same coin -- Kaede sharing her life with Takeshi and Buffy sharing hers with Spike. . . . .

good update, entertaining read. thanks

Hmmmm. Spike has made it to the status of ally. That's good. He is in serious danger from Cardbored and I'm not sure that Buffy appreciates either his danger or her potential loss if they catch him. More story please.

good update. keeping an excellent tale moving along. love the read. thanks

Kaede may have been treated worse than Buffy was. I certainly hope these acquired memories will help Buffy and Spike. More story please.

Poor Takeshi. . . . he fell right into Sano's trap. And good for Spike realizing who the commandos are.

and i am sure red will believe spike. good update. really enjoying the read. thanks

You tell a good story. And I appreciate that you remembered who Buffy is & did not, as some writers do, show her needing help to carry Spike from the tub to the couch.

Stoker has Van Helsing say (twice) that Dracula has the strength of 20 men, & Buffy whipped him easily enough once she got past the thrall.

Kudos & keep on entertaining us.

Ikepear

Words cannot express how good this story is (and I consider myself a writer, too, so how pathetic is that?). You've managed to create an entirely credible story for Buffy and Spike -- and at the same time introduce an entirely new set of characters that we all want to get to know more of -- that we all wanted to have a happy ending and yet, we know its impossible. Gorgeous work here.

ok wrong, again. buffy is taking this suprisingly well. i think i will go back to "good read, thanks." it really is a good read and i am enjoying. thanks

Go Buffy! Nice job with Spike and the "tootsie roll pop." Is Giles due for a bitch slapping any time soon? More story please.

With a growl, Spike threw himself at the other vampire, katana leading the way.

So very typical of Spike; however, just as wonderfully understated is the next scene, between Takeshi and Spike. Makes me smile everytime I read it because it is such a guy moment.

spike is probably taking the situation much better than buffy will. very good update. thanks

God, I love the way you write. And the stories, of course.

Though this story makes me ponder about destiny versus free will way too much...

It's good that Spike had his educational vision with Takeshi. Now, how will Buffy deal with her vision Kaede? More story please.

Really enjoying this so far! Started (and caught up) tonight, and I'm hooked. Wondering what those sods at the Initiative have planned for Orochi. I hope he has them for snacks!

this is such a great story! I can't wait to see what happens next!

great selection of quotes -

She pictured herself, a pale ghost in her kimono: white fabric against white snow. Only her dark hair would stand out, drifting around her face like a living thing.

Stark imagery, evoking the reverse coloring of the modern day vampire who is relucant consort and yet still equal to the current Slayer. Wonderful word usage, as always.

This story is really compelling. I am waiting with bated breath for the next chapter!

soooo good! please continue! I love the detail you go into about the past slayer.

denial buffy is alive and well. love the fic. thanks

Maybe Kaede could tell Buffy about her consort to help Buffy get over herself, the Wankers' Council programming and her "friends." More story please.

And still, the big bad when it comes down to it, and really, in a fight, I'd much rather have Spike than Angel.

revenge,the great motivator. good update. thanks

lovin this story a LOT....keep up the good work!! dyiiiiiiing for a new chappie

Fantastic... More please. This is so amazing, I must go and read everything you ever written, now. Very very good job [edge of your seat stuff] hope your next update is soon. Amaze :]:]

I Spike supposed to help them while he's tied to a chair? Will he get his sword soon or will he have to wait for the sword to reject Angelus? More story please.

And the juxtaposition of their unfolding stories is wonderfully crafted. There's no hesitation, no misstep, notthing out of place. This is how to write stories.

Oh I LOVE it- that's so perfect! And I also think the way you have the past running backwards and the present running forwards is a really inspired idea that gives the fic something really interesting and different. This story truly is amazing. I love it :]:]

very good read. thanks. giles can be so dense.

I see attento-girl is still living in Egypt along with her watcher and "friends." I want Spike to go, pick up that sword and show them all who it really belongs to at this time. More story please.

one word....awesome!!!
i love japanese culture and i study the samurai. hell i even want to live in japan so this story is right up my alley. can't wait for more.

The image of Takeshi viewing his last sight of Kaede, framed by the sunrise is haunting, bringing tears to my eyes.

It's lovely.

The cut from past to present is so well-timed and floorless it's just incredible. One minute I can feel my eyes welling over Takeshi's death, and the next I'm grinning at Buffy's cleaveage in Spike's face! This is an incredible work of fiction, and I'm really enjoying it!!

Excellent. Looking forward to where this is going. The katana holding all he is and was is obviously going to figure in for Spike. Really unique plot being well told here.

Kathleen

Hmmmm. Does Spike need to touch the katana of the consort? If Giles figures out what the Slayer and her consort are supposed to do together, will he tell them? More story please.

Still as engaging and mysterious as the first time I read it. I'd forgotten how compelling the story of Kaede was. . . .

Ooooh my goodness, what an AMAZING start- can't wait to read more of this *shivers*

OOOO now this makes sense. I always thought that Slayers who reach the age for settling down were the logical partners of special vampires. Afraid I suspect the Council of doing the girls in before that can happen with their cruciumtum rutial...but you may not be going anywhere near that idea so I'll shut up and enjoy this other great WIP you've gifted us with here.

Needless to say, I'm loving this one also. Off to read part 2.

Kathleen

I hope this is as well received here as it was at the other place. Such a beautiful story.

excellent beginning. please, more soon. thanks for the read.