History (Abridged)

[therewerefifty]

• Born in 1758, to a samurai family famed for its swordsmanship. Her older brother jokingly challenged her to a duel. Makie defeated him three times without him ever landing a strike. He committed seppuku. Her father Harukawa disowned Makie — and his wife, when Fuki defended her daughter — casting them out onto the street.
• Saves Anotsu Kagehisa from the attack of a wild dog. Anotsu’s grandfather comes across them and, realising that his grandson was saved by a girl, beats Makie half to death and leaves both Makie and her weapon on a tree branch in the field. Anotsu returns to the field the next day to find the corpses of fifty wild dogs strewn across the field and no Makie.
• Fuki passes away. Makie becomes a prostitute to repay her mother’s medical debts.
• Anotsu buys out her contract and asks her to kill Manji, who is intent on killing him to help Rin get revenge for her parents’ deaths. She makes a half-hearted attempt to kill Manji and finds she cannot go through with it, instead leaving to find her father.
• Harukawa is sick with tuberculosis and demented, mourning the loss of his wife and daughter in a tiny hovel. Moved by pity, Makie says Fuki is doing well and leaves. Then she reminds herself she didn’t come here to be a bleeding heart, and rushes back to find him dead on the floor. She breaks down.
• Makie takes up living in her father’s hovel. She sews her sword hand shut and sells her body, intent on making the funds to repay Anotsu for buying out her contract.
• When Anotsu finds her, he's angered by how low she's sunk. She repays her debt, and he leaves-- only to return minutes later to take her off guard in the middle of a breakdown. Anotsu discovers her opium habit and her crippled sword hand. He treats her hand and leaves while she's asleep.
• Once she awakens she realises Anotsu looked ill and follows him, to find him being ambushed by a dozen men. Makie is no assassin, but in order to protect him she crosses all lines. She decimates the opposing force. Makie's role as Anotsu’s bodyguard is cemented.
• She contracts tuberculosis. Anotsu is wanted by the Shogunate and leaves for the coast to exit Japan. Concerned about Makie's illness, Anotsu leaves her behind.
• Makie pursues Anotsu. She enters a pitched fight against both shogunate forces and the ports authority militia, until her illness makes battle impossible. Before she can be killed, Manji intervenes and gives her medicine to suppress her symptoms. They're soon joined by Rin and Anotsu.
• Fighting continues with Makie doing an efficient sweep until an artillery brigade opens fire, injuring Anotsu and riddling Makie multiple times. She uses the last of her strength to decimate the artillery squad, saving Anotsu's life one last time before succumbing to her injuries.