Ch. 1

The small village of Mino was bustling with energy. Merchants were selling their products while people made their way to the markets and businesses.
A short, slightly pudgy man made his way to a restraunt and sat down. He waited a short time later as two other men joined him. They sat in silence as a waitress placed food on the tabel and ate. After a while, someone spoke.

"Did you get any new information?" one asked.

"I heard he now serves Toyotomi Hideyoshi," another short, slightly pudgy man replied.

"My informant said the Toyotomi is on their way to face the Shimazu," the thrid man reported. "They should be there in five days."

The first man ran a hand down his beard in thought. Then he smiled. "Boys, we are going to join the army."

Rays of sunshine shone through the flimsy tent fabric. A small body stirred and opened his eyes. He sat up, stretched, grabbed his favorite hat and left the tent. He look up at the sky.

"Ah, what a beautiful day," he said. "Too bad it will be ending with bloodshed."

"Lord Hanbei," a soldier called. "Your presence is requested."

Inwardly groaning, Takenaka Hanbei followed the soldier to where his fellow strategist Kuroda Kanbei and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were waiting.

"You're late," Kanbei rumbled.

"Don't worry about that Kanbei," Hideyoshi chided. "What we need to focus on now is how to stop the Shimazu." He laid out a map of the area. "The circles represent us and the rectangles are the enemies. If we raid the camps, it should drage Yoshihiro out."

Hanbei thought for a moment. "Raiding the camps does sound like a good idea, but I think we should take them over and use them for reinforcements. What do you think Kanbei?"

The taller simply nodded. "Sounds logical to me."

"Then its settled," Hideyoshi declared. "We attack in three hours."

In Hanbei's opinion, those three hours went by far too fast. He found himself with his weapon in one hand and a sticky rice cake in the other. Kanbei watched him disapprovingly as he headed to his position. How was it that Hanbei was older by two years yet still he acts like a child? he dismissed the thought with the shake of his head. Hideyoshi waited for people to get ready, raised his hand and threw it down. Soldiers let out battle cries as they charged the field. Hanbei headed to the closest camp to him, cutting down any soldiers who stood in his way.

"This is war. No hard feelings, right?"

As he completed his task, the air around him suddenly changed. Suspision and paranoia swarmed his mind, making him feel dizzy. The strategist snapped out of it when an arrow sunk in his shoulder. He pulled it out and barely dodged another. A hand snaked around his throat and hoisted him up. Hanbei yelped, dropped his weapon, and struggled to get free.

"Let me go!" he yelled as much as he could.

The hand tightened, making it almost impossible to breathe.

"You better watch your back Takenaka Hanbei," a deep voice breathed in his ear. "Consider this your only warning."

With that being said, the mystery person squeezed one more time, then released and walked away. Hanbei laid on the ground desparately trying to regain his lost air. The pain in his shoulder flared up each time he took a breath. he was vaguely aware of someone approaching him. He looked up with his hazy vision.

"Kanbei?" he rasped.

"Are you alright?" Kanbei asked.

"Other than getting hit with an arrow and being strangled, just peachy."

A small smile spread across the younger's face. Typical Hanbei.

"Hey Kanbei, mind helping me up?"

Moments later, Hanbei was on his feet leaning heavily on the other. Knowing his friend will collapse on the way back, Kanbei forced his friend to climb on his back and they set off. When they reached the camp, their army was victorious.

A/N: I am invading the SW category! *insert evil laugh* I felt like posting this right before finals! Plz R&R!

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